Sheriff Arrests Man In Connection With Brandon Shooting In 2017

BRANDON, FL – A Tampa man turned himself into the Orient Road Jail Monday, June 26, after a warrant was put out for his arrest for second-degree felony murder for his involvement in the Nov. 28, 2017, death of Chike Tim, 40, of 4507 44th St. N., Tampa.

On that day at about 2:30 p.m., Courtney Mallory, who lives in the 1300 block of Rivage Circle in Brandon, off South Gornto Lake Road, saw a white car park in front of her home and a man who was later identified as Tim get out of the passenger side and walk toward her home.

Moments later, Tim, wearing socks on his hands, forced open the front door of her home. Mallory armed herself with a 9mm handgun and fired one round toward Tim. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

During a search of Mallory’s home, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s detectives found Illegal narcotics and approximately $66,000 in cash.

A witness told detectives he was with Tim earlier in the day and overheard him on the phone discussing breaking into a home in Brandon.

The witness said he heard Tim claim the home had a lot of narcotics and money inside. Phone records confirmed the telephone number Tim called belonged to Earnest Cherry Jr., 36, of 2917 Yukon Street E., Tampa.

Detectives began investigating Cherry and discovered that he was on federal probation at the time of the incident. They also learned that he had borrowed a 2005 white Pontiac earlier in the day.

The owner of the car identified Tim from a photograph as the person with Cherry when he borrowed the car. Cherry told the car owner to claim his car had been stolen.

Cherry is being held in lieu of a $75,000 bond.

Photo via Hillsborough Sheriff