[TAMPABAY] A 23-year-old man faces a charge of felony murder in connection with a drug deal that left his friend dead, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.Daundrea Lamar Butler is not accused of taking part in the killing, however. He was tossed in the slammer
Drop the rod and step away witcher hands up!
under a statute that allows authorities to levy a murder charge if that person takes part in a crime that results in murder.
Deputies said Butler drove his friend, Ecru Richardson, 21, to the Oaks Apartments at 13237 Stone Fountain Drive around 8:30 a.m. Thursday. There, Richardson got out of the car to conduct a drug deal, during which he was shot by an unidentified individual.
Richardson ran back to the vehicle where Butler was waiting for him. Butler, realizing Richardson had been shot, drove his friend to the hospital, deputies said. Deputies received two calls about the shooting: one reported hearing the shots fired and the other came from Butler. At first, deputies said, Butler denied knowing about the drug deal. Later deputies said they determined Butler was aware of it.