GIFFORD — Friday’s fatal shooting that left another person injured and a third arrested, has been tied to a large quantity of drugs, the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office released Monday morning.
Detectives with the Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant at the home on 33rd Avenue where Dwight Snaith, of St. Lucie County, and Tyrell Bennett, of Gifford, were shot. Detectives were looking for evidence from the shootings and, instead, found a large quantity of drugs, including 2 ¼ pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of $7,600 and nearly 2 pounds of cocaine and crack cocaine worth an estimated $35,000.
They also found approximately 90 clonazepan pills worth about $1,000 and $658 cash, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Four guns were also recovered from the home, including a .38-caliber Keltec pistol, a 9 mm Highpoint pistol, a .38-caliber Davis pistol and a .22-caliber Nefgardner revolver.
The Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation into the shooting death of Snaith and shooting injury of Bennett and now believe additional shooters may have been involved.
Bennett was released from Lawnwood Regional Medical Center over the weekend and authorities are still working to determine if he was directly involved in the shooting or was a victim of a cross-fire.
A second arrest has been made in connection to the case – that of Deandre Lucas Love, 31, of Indian River County, who was at the scene of the shooting and was illegally in possession of a firearm.
Love faces a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and has since been released from the county jail on $25,000 bond. Authorities are investigating his connection to Friday’s shooting.
Over the weekend, authorities arrested a woman who drove Bennett to the hospital and then left in a vehicle containing evidence of the shooting.
Published Sept. 21 at 7:35 p.m.
GIFFORD – A person has been arrested and the identities of those shot in Gifford on Friday have been released.
The person killed in the shooting has been identified as 38-year-old Dwight Snaith, of St. Lucie County. The man injured in the shooting is 27-year-old Tyrell Bennett, of Gifford. Bennett is currently in stable condition at Lawnwood Regional Medical Center.
The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office is still working to determine if Snaith and Bennett shot each other or if others were involved. Investigators have been speaking with witnesses throughout the night and today, according to Sheriff’s spokesman Thom Raulen.
During the course of the investigation, detectives determined Bennett was driven to the hospital by 35-year-old Denita Henry, who then left the scene in a vehicle containing evidence of the shooting, Raulen said. The exact type of evidence is not being released at this time.
Authorities arrested Henry, who now faces a charge of tampering with evidence.
GIFFORD — One person is dead and another injured following a shooting in the 4500 block of 33rd Avenue in Gifford Friday afternoon.
The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting, which involved two males, one a local resident of Gifford and the other from St. Lucie County.
The Sheriff’s Office reported that the deceased is a 38-year-old man from St. Lucie County. The Gifford resident is a 27-year-old man.
Sheriff’s spokesman Thom Raulen said the two males, who have not yet been identified, were involved in a verbal argument regarding two women prior to the shooting, which took place around 4:30 p.m.
He did not know if the males shot each other or if others were involved.
The 38-year-old St. Lucie County man was unresponsive after the shooting and was taken to the hospital by private vehicle by an unidentified driver.
The 27-year-old was also transported to the hospital by private vehicle.
Authorities are investigating the shooting and will release more information as it becomes available.
The area around the shooting has been closed to traffic as investigators continue their work. Drivers are encouraged to find alternate routes.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office or Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers.
This article will be updated as information is released.
