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Man Faces First-Degree Murder Charge in Unincorporated St. Petersburg Shooting

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Detectives have arrested a St. Petersburg man in connection with a December 2024 homicide in unincorporated St. Petersburg.

On December 15, 2024, at approximately 8:37 p.m., deputies from the Patrol Operations Bureau responded to a residence at 5131 68th Street North following reports of a deceased adult male. The 911 caller, 53-year-old James Butler, reported that the victim was his tenant, who lived in a detached shed on the property.

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Deputies arrived to find 32-year-old Aaron Reed suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Butler, who had recently returned home after being released from jail, initially told detectives he was unaware of who might have harmed Reed and said he discovered the body upon his arrival.

During their investigation, arrest records indicate that detectives determined that Butler approached Reed while he was sitting on a couch in the living room and shot him twice with a shotgun. Investigators found gunshot residue on an item in Butler’s possession and a shotgun, linking him to the crime.

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On March 6, 2025, he was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. Butler was booked into the Pinellas County Jail.

Reed’s next of kin has been notified. The investigation remains ongoing.

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