TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa police arrested a 36-year-old man on first-degree murder and robbery charges after a man was found beaten to death last Saturday on West Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
Tampa police investigation
What we know:
Officers went to the 1900 block of West Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard last Saturday after receiving reports of an unresponsive man, according to the police department. When officers arrived at the scene, they found the man dead with what investigators described as "suspicious injuries."
The Medical Examiner later determined the man died from being beaten and officially ruled the death a homicide. Detectives said they reviewed nearby surveillance videos that captured another man in the area around the same time as the victim.
Police identified that man as 36-year-old Mel Mcray Jr., who was taken into custody Tuesday, June16, on unrelated charges. A witness told police that Mcray said he beat up another man who tried to rob him last Saturday.
When detectives interviewed Mcray, he initially denied beating anyone but admitted he was in the area. He later changed his statement, telling detectives that he hit the victim, who he had never met, several times and admitted to taking items from the man's pockets. Investigators said they found the victim's wallet and other personal items in Mcray's belongings.
Tampa homicide details
What we don't know:
Officials have not yet released the identity of the man who died. Police have also not confirmed what specific unrelated charges initially led to Mcray being taken into custody Tuesday.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Tampa Police Department, who explained how we got it through official agency statements, as well as investigators working the case.