WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (WFLA) – A suspect was arrested over the weekend in the homicide of a St. Petersburg man after dealing drugs at a rental home in Davenport, the county sheriff announced Monday. Polk, Grady Judd.
The man arrested is Justin Jenkins, 29, of South Daytona Beach. He faces a charge of first degree murder. Jenkins had at least 55 prior criminal charges according to Judd, 35 of which were felonies.
“Justin Jenkins is a bad man, he’s a murderer,” Judd said.
Sheriff Judd said Jenkins and another man went to the house to rob Xavier Antonio Johnson, 29, who was renting the house on Acorn Court through Airbnb on April 8, 2022, to sell marijuana with other people .
Law enforcement is still looking for another man they believe was Jenkins’ partner.
Judd said they don’t know which man shot Johnson, but new video released by the sheriff’s office showed Jenkins and two other men entering the home with guns. Five minutes later, Jenkins and the man the deputies are looking for can be seen frantically leaving the house with a bag.
The man the deputies are looking for wears a hat and mask in the video.
Another surveillance video released over the weekend showed a group of three different men carrying Johnson’s body out of the house later that night. Deputies have identified these men and they are also under investigation.
The Airbnb tenant is also under investigation.
“Everyone who is involved is in the Easter basket,” Judd said.
Judd said those three men dropped Johnson off at Heart of Florida Hospital in Haines City, where he was pronounced dead.
Deputies were able to place the alleged crime scene at the Airbnb when the out-of-state owner viewed Ring security camera footage from outside the home. Sheriff Judd said the owner was innocent in the incident.
Detectives are asking anyone to identify the other man involved in Johnson’s death. If you have information, call the Polk County Sheriff’s Office at 863-298-6200 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226 TIPS (8477).
You can also send advice online to Crime Stoppers website.
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