Deputies arrested a 24-year-old man in the shooting death of 47-year-old Ricky Garland outside a Largo-area motel on Thursday.
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office also arrested the suspect's 23-year-old girlfriend on two counts of felony child neglect.
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Angel Martinez, who authorities identified as a transient, is charged with second degree murder. Deputies took him to the Pinellas County Jail for booking.
Martinez's girlfriend, Larrisha Williams, is charged with leaving her two young children alone in the apartment on the night of the murder.
According to detectives, on Thursday night, Martinez, Williams and her two children were parked in a vehicle next to the parking lot of the Andrea Cove Motel at 10464 106th Avenue N. in unincorporated Largo. Martinez was seen with a handgun on his lap.
Deputies say the two men began arguing and around 10:47 p.m. Martinez shot Garland while the victim was outside of the vehicle in the parking lot. Martinez then drove away.
When deputies arrived, they found Garland lying in the parking lot with multiple gunshot wounds. Garland was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
While investigating the shooting, deputies noticed young children in a neighboring apartment who appeared to have been left alone. The deputies forced entry into the unit to ensure the kids' well-being.
Deputies removed the children and placed them into protective custody. Authorities eventually located Williams, the mother of the kids.
