Crime & Safety

Wife Wanted for Murder Turns Herself in

The police search extended from Manatee to Pinellas counties. The suspect was wanted in connection to the stabbing death of her husband.

Sharon Byrd turned herself in to St. Petersburg Police Tuesday, after authorities launched a high-profile search following the stabbing death of Byrd's husband.

Byrd, 46, was wanted for 2nd degree murder for the stabbing death of her husband, Russell Byrd. The search extended from Manatee to Pinellas counties, after she fled in her tan Buick.

According to police, Byrd called the Police Department from a lawyer's office in the 1300 block of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street North at 1 p.m. and said she wanted to turn herself in.

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Officers went to that location and arrested Byrd without incident. The officers transported Byrd to Police Headquarters, where she was interviewed about the case by homicide detectives, a news release said.

On Tuesday, police said a male acquaintance called 911 after the stabbing, and rescue personnel pronounced the 43-year-old victim dead on the scene. Russell Byrd had been stabbed in the chest.

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The victim and suspect were in the apartment, located at 1763 57th Ter. S., with the male acquaintance. The victim, police said, had a phone conversation with his sister, which prompted an argument.

According to police, the suspect went to the kitchen and got a knife. She then announced she was going to kill the victim and stabbed him in the upper body, police said. 


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