A man was arrested for pre-meditated murder of a 64-year-old woman in a Central Florida home.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office arrested 53-year-old Cris Jennings who they say is responsible for the murder in Keystone, outside of Tampa.
On July 15th, around 4:45am, HCSO received a 911 call from an individual who located an unresponsive woman inside a residence on the 18000 block of Crescent Road.
Upon arrival, deputies located 64-year-old Valerie Dandrea with upper body trauma. She was pronounced deceased on the scene.
During the investigation, detectives spoke to 53-year-old Cris Jennings, who lives on the property in a structure separate from the victim’s home. Jennings admitted there was a verbal altercation over cash that escalated into him shooting Dandrea.
“Our deputies acted quickly to apprehend the suspect and bring some measure of closure to the victim’s family,” said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister. “This tragic incident underscores our commitment to ensuring that those who commit violent acts are held accountable.”
Detectives also learned that Jennings threatened an additional victim with a firearm at his residence prior to deputies arriving.
Jennings is now facing charges of Pre-Meditated First-Degree Murder, Armed Burglary with Battery (x2), Aggravated Battery, and Armed False Imprisonment.
This is an active investigation, according to local law enforcement.
