Suspect In Fatal Shooting Outside Sarasota Convenience Store Found In Mississippi: Police

SARASOTA, FL — A suspect in the fatal shooting of a man outside a Sarasota convenience store early Jan. 6 was found in Greenville, Mississippi on Friday, Sarasota police said in a news release.

Johnny Evans, 22, was taken into custody by the United States Marshals Service. He’ll return to Sarasota to face murder charges in connection to the Jan. 6 shooting, police said.

Investigators say he shot a man to death outside Moore’s Grocery at 1993 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way. An arrest warrant was issued for Evans on Jan. 7.

The victim’s name is being withheld under Marsy’s Law.

Evans’ girlfriend, Tierra Driver, 26, of Sarasota was arrested in January and charged with accessory after the fact in connection with the shooting, according to police.

Related Stories:

• Fatal Shooting Suspect Sought In Sarasota: Police
• Murder Suspect's Girlfriend Faces Accessory Charge: Police

Driver withheld information about Evans' whereabouts and drove him out of state, investigators said.

According to a probable cause affidavit for Driver, she rented a car about 14 hours after the shooting. It was later seen in Tallahassee. When she returned the car to the rental company, it showed she had driven more than 1,800 miles in it.

When interviewed by police Jan. 9, Driver said Evans told her that he left his car running when he went into the convenience store on Jan. 6.

As he left the store, he saw a man driving away in his car, so he pulled the man out of it, Driver told police. Evans told her that the man "was reaching behind him like he was going to pull a weapon on him, and he had to shoot him," according to the affidavit.

Driver claimed she hadn't seen Evans since early Jan. 6.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Maria Llovio at 941-263-6836 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers by calling 941-366-TIPS (8477) or online at www.sarasotacrimestoppers.com.