Detectives Charge Largo Man With Shooting Death Of Girlfriend

LARGO, FL -- Detectives assigned to the robbery/homicide unit of the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office have charged a Largo man with first-degree murder after he reportedly threatened shot and killed his girlfriend.

Deputies were called to a home at 13424 W. Rena Drive in unincorporated Largo.for a report of an injured person. When deputies arrived, they found 28-year-old Christine Giles of the 5100 block of 100th Way, Seminole, shot multiple times in a travel trailer that was parked outside the home. Deputies pronounced Giles dead at about 11:22 p.m.

Witnesses helped identify 32-year-old Nathaniel Yates of the 9300 block of West Links Terrace North, Larg0, as a suspect. Detectives say Yates was in the travel trailer with Giles and 61-year-old Wesley Warn when Yates became agitated and threatened Warn with a .380-caliber handgun. Yates turned the gun on Giles, shot her once and fled the scene.According to detectives, Yates returned to the scene a short time later and shot Giles again multiple times.Witnesses told detectives Giles and Yates were dating for several months before Yates threatened Giles with violence and Giles called off the relationship. Detectives believe Giles and Yates were dating again at the time of the shooting.

As detectives were searching for Yates, they learned that Yates had been arrested for an unrelated incident less than six hours after the shooting. Officers from the Largo Police Department had arrested Yates at about 4:30 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 17, on charges of burglary, simple battery, resisting arrest without violence, battery on a law enforcement officer and battery on health service personnel.officers. The Largo Police Department transported Yates to a local hospital for injuries he sustained during his initial arrest.

At about 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 18, detectives charged Yates with one count of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated assault.

Yates remains in custody at a local hospital. The investigation is ongoing.

Image via Pinellas Sheriff

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