TAMPA, Fla. — What started out as a call to police after a possible car crash led to three men being charged with murder.
Last June, Tampa Police received reports of a crash near southbound I-275 and Sligh Avenue. One of the callers claimed they also heard gunshots.
When Tampa Fire Rescue arrived, they found a blue Dodge Challenger on the shoulder of the road. Police said the driver of the Challenger was Lance Henry James, Jr. He was found at the scene with a gunshot wound, and later died at the hospital.
Detectives linked three people to the deadly shooting: Raphael Tyree Thomas, Tyrone James Eliison Jr., and Donte Moses Turner.
Tampa Police said Thomas was already in jail in Sumter County on separate charges of murder and aggravated battery with a firearm. Thomas now faces additional charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and shooting into a vehicle.
Ellison Jr. and Turner were also in jail on unrelated firearm possession warrants. Ellison Jr. now faces the same charges as Thomas while Turner is charged with a single count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.
