ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – A violent confrontation at a St. Petersburg duplex has culminated in a second arrest and the seizure of over three pounds of cocaine. St. Petersburg Police confirmed that Darren Kegler, 55, was taken into custody yesterday, May 12, 2026, marking a significant turn in a case that began with a deadly shootout over a year ago.
The investigation traces back to April 15, 2025, when police say John Knight and Ronnie Dials broke into Kegler’s residence at 863 14th Avenue South. Detectives determined the duo intended to rob the home, which was allegedly being operated as a drug house.
The encounter quickly turned fatal when a fight broke out and shots were fired. Dials was killed at the scene, and Kegler was hospitalized with gunshot wounds.
John Knight, now 48, was arrested shortly after the incident on April 17, 2025. He was charged with first-degree felony murder, attempted felony murder, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
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While the initial focus was on the homicide, detectives continued to dig into the activity at the duplex. That investigation eventually led to the discovery of a massive amount of narcotics.
Police found one kilo of cocaine in Kegler’s first car, another 463 grams in a second vehicle, and 173.8 grams stashed in a kitchen container.
Following his release from the hospital and the completion of the drug investigation, Kegler now faces three counts of trafficking in cocaine. He also had an active warrant out of Orlando for conspiracy to traffic cocaine.
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