WJBF
March 3, 2014
Tampa Police have arrested a second man in connection with the December murder of a Bay area cab driver.
Landrick Donyell Edwards Jr. is facing one count of first-degree murder with a firearm and one count of attempted robbery with a firearm. He is being held without bond at the Hillsborough County Jail.
The 24-year-old suspect has been behind bars since December 13, 2013 – five days after the murder Yellow Cab driver John Dooley. Edwards was arrested originally on an unrelated violation of probation charge.
According to a TPD report detectives executed a search warrant on the suspect’s home shortly after the crime and his arrest. They discovered a firearm and this week ballistic tests conducted on the weapon matched up with the bullet that killed the 56-year-old Dooley.
Investigators arrested the other suspect, Devante Bell, two days after Dooley was shot to death in a robbery for less than $300. Bell, 20, was identified by TPD detectives through evidence left at the crime scene.
Dooley, who drove a cab for 32 years, was shot to death in East Tampa shortly after picking up a fare on Sunday, December 8th.
Edwards Jr. has an extensive arrest record and has served four stints in state prison system for convictions out of Hillsborough and Polk counties. His prior arrests and convictions are for a variety of crimes including aggravated battery, burglary, grand theft, fleeing to elude, conspiracy to commit murder and attempted second-degree murder.
His father, Landrick Donyell Edwards Sr., also has an extensive criminal history and is currently in state prison for a drug conviction out of Pinellas County.
Detectives are still looking for a third suspect involved in Dooley’s murder as the investigation continues.