Man Arrested for Murder After Moving Dead Body from Crime Scene in Hillsborough County

Hillsborough County Sheriff Deputies arrested a man who is suspected of fatally shooting another person last Saturday night near the Polk and Hillsborough County border.

Shannon Owens now faces several charges, among them Second Degree Murder. Witnesses detained Owens after he allegedly tried to remove the body of a victim who had a gun shot wound in their upper body.

According to Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, on October 21, 2023, at approximately 11:20 p.m., the HCSO Communications Center received a call about a shooting on the 5500 block of Deeson Rd in Lakeland. When deputies arrived, they located the suspect, Shannon Owens, 31, detained by several witnesses.

Homicide Detectives determined that the victim arrived at the property, made verbal contact with Owens, and soon after, a gunshot was heard. Witnesses discovered the victim with an upper-body gunshot wound and Owens attempting to remove the body.

“I commend the work of our deputies and detectives who worked hard to determine what happened and hold the person responsible for this murder accountable,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister.

This is still an open and active investigation.