PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. – A 28-year-old Florida man faces a second-degree murder charge after police say he shot his roommate and best friend in the back of the head, staged the scene, and waited more than four hours to call emergency services following an argument over a vape pen.
Elisha Christopher Landry was arrested by the Gulfport Police Department for the April 17 slaying of 34-year-old Shaun Allen Hennigh. According to court documents, the single fatal shot was fired around 12:32 a.m., but Landry did not dial 911 until 5:04 a.m.
When first responders arrived at the home in the 5100 block of Tangerine Avenue South, they found Landry in the street. Hennigh’s body was located on the garage floor, cold to the touch and showing signs of rigor mortis.
During the initial 911 call, Landry told dispatchers he had been sitting with the body for about 30 minutes and was unsure if Hennigh had shot himself. However, neighbors reported hearing a gunshot and a car alarm nearly four and a half hours prior to the call.
Investigators uncovered evidence indicating the scene had been altered. Blood spatters and a pool of partially dried blood were found outside the garage near a delivery box, alongside visible smear marks indicating the body had been dragged inside.
While Landry claimed he held his friend for up to 30 minutes after the shooting, forensic technicians noted very little blood on his clothing. Landry later admitted he changed into a pair of blue jeans over his shorts before police arrived.
When questioned, Landry provided changing accounts of the incident. He initially told officers the shooting occurred during a “play-fighting” session where Hennigh grabbed a 9mm handgun from Landry’s waistband. When asked if Hennigh held the gun to his own head, Landry replied, “No dude! We were just twisting around.” He then changed his statement, saying Hennigh never touched the holster, and later told detectives he could not explain how the weapon discharged.
The investigation revealed that Landry’s mother, a licensed travel nurse with over a decade of medical experience, was asleep inside the residence during the entire four-and-a-half-hour delay. Police stated Landry never woke her to request medical assistance for Hennigh.
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According to statements from Landry’s girlfriend, the confrontation began upstairs when Landry became angry after catching Hennigh vaping inside the house. Following a verbal dispute, Hennigh walked down to the garage, and Landry followed him with a 9mm handgun in his waistband.
Phone records also detailed a history of financial disputes between the roommates. Text messages showed Landry had previously evicted Hennigh in January for failing to pay his portion of the household bills.
An autopsy confirmed Hennigh’s death was a homicide resulting from a single intermediate-range gunshot wound that entered the back of his skull on an upward trajectory.
Landry is being held without bond at the Pinellas County Jail.
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