Man found not guilty of murder of gay man in dog park murder trial

TAMPA, Fla. — A Hillsborough County jury found Gerald Declan Radford not guilty for the shooting of a gay man at a Tampa dog park last year.

Radford was charged with second-degree murder for the death of a gay man at a Tampa dog park in 2024.

According to prosecutors, Radford fatally shot Walt Lay last February after witnesses said Radford taunted Lay for months because he was gay.

Radford claimed he shot Lay in self-defense after Lay attacked him, but a judge denied Radford’s motion to have the case dismissed following a stand-your-ground hearing.

"The reality is Mr. Radford has been acquitted by a jury of his peers. He didn't do anything but defend himself that day," said Defense attorney Matthew Futch.

State Attorney Suzy Lopez's office sent us the following statement after a verdict was reached:

“We respect the jury’s decision in this case and thank them for their service. We especially thank the community members who stepped up in the hours and days following the shooting to provide critical information that helped law enforcement investigate this case. While it is not the outcome we sought, we are proud to stand with Walt’s friends and family as we fought for justice together. The fact that this victim was forced to endure hatred and prejudice from the defendant based on his sexual orientation shows that our society still has progress to make toward equality."

Previous Coverage:

• Trial for man charged with murder at Florida dog park begins
• Jurors watch body cam video in trial for man charged with murder at Florida dog park
• Stand-your-ground hearing set for defendant charged with murder of gay man at Florida dog park
• Second-degree murder charges filed against man who killed victim in dog park
• Man fatally shot in Tampa dog park sent video about death threats the day before