Florida man arrested after 18-year-old woman found shot dead in hotel room
11/02/2020 10:06 am PST
RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. (TCD) --
A 54-year-old Florida man was arrested last week in the homicide of an 18-year-old woman found shot dead in a hotel room in South Florida.
On Friday, Oct. 30, the Columbia County Sheriff's Office announced a joint homicide investigation with police in Riviera Beach, Florida.
The parents of an 18-year-old woman contacted the Columbia County Sheriff's Office to check on the well-being of their daughter on Monday, Oct. 26.
The 18-year-old had voluntarily left the county with "a known individual." Columbia County is located in the northern part of the state, about 60 miles west of Jacksonville.
Detectives determined the woman was possibly in Riviera Beach, about 300 miles south, in the West Palm Beach area, and contacted the Riviera Beach Police Dept. to check on the welfare of the woman.
The Columbia County Sheriff's Office said Riviera Police officers checked the location, later identified as the Hilton Oceanfront Resort, and found the 18-year-old woman dead. A person of interest was immediately identified.
Michael Troy Hutto was arrested and booked in Duval County, the Florida Highway Patrol said Friday.
The victim was identified as Lora Grace Duncan.
The relationship between Hutto and Duncan was not clear. Michael Hutto is one of the co-founders of Salt Life, a beach clothing and lifestyle brand in Jacksonville, though he isn't associated anymore, according to the company.
The Riviera Beach Police Department is leading the homicide investigation.
The Palm Beach Post reports Michael Troy Hutto, 54, was held in the Duval County Jail on an out-of-county warrant for charges of manslaughter and possession of a firearm.
Hutto was arrested at Baptist Medical Center South in Jacksonville, WPTV reports. According to the Riviera Beach Police Department, Hutto had been taken to the hospital after a medical emergency, WPTV reports. It was unclear what the medical circumstances were.
Lora Grace Duncan, 18, of Lake City suffered a single gunshot in the hotel room about 11:30 a.m. Thursday, WPTV reports. Police said the woman had been at the hotel for several days.
🔸FHP Arrests Murder Suspect from South Florida🔸
@FHPJacksonville
Great teamwork with Rivera Beach PD to bring this suspect to justice. Michael Troy Hutto was arrested at Baptist South for the recent murder of a teenager in South Florida. Hutto was delivered to Duval County Pre-Trial by FHP. pic.twitter.com/6UsXpipvFW
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