Argument Escalates to Gunfire, Murder

ST. PETERSBURG – A 21-year-old St. Petersburg man faces a murder charge in Thursday's fatal shooting of Jasper Williams at his apartment.

Police say that LaDarian Huell fired multiple gunshots through the window of Williams' apartment unit, at 674 22nd Ave. South, after the two argued in the apartment building courtyard.

Williams, 33, was struck several times in his upper body.

Police found Williams dead in his apartment at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday, after responding to a 911 call that someone had been shot.

Police interviewed witnesses who said that Williams and Huell had been arguing earlier in the building's courtyard. Williams shot at Huell during the argument, and Huell fled.

But Huell returned about 20 minutes later and shot through Williams' apartment window, killing him, police said.

Huell did not live at Williams' apartment complex. His address was listed as 1817 MLK St. South.

According to police, Huell confessed to the shooting and was charged with second-degree murder, punishable in Florida by 16 years to life in prison.

Huell previously was arrested in April in St. Petersburg on a domestic battery charge and booked into the Pinellas County Jail.