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Woman dead after boyfriend shoots her once, returns and shoots again, deputies say

 
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Published Aug. 18, 2018

LARGO — A man faces a charge of murder after firing a shot at his girlfriend as she visited a travel trailer in Largo, fleeing the scene, then returning to the trailer and shooting her again a number of times, deputies said.

Nathaniel J. Yates, 32, of 9372 West Links Terrace North in Largo, is accused in the fatal shooting Thursday night of Christine Giles, 28, of 5188 100th Way, Seminole.

As they were searching for Yates, detectives learned Saturday he already was in custody for unrelated crimes committed about six hours after the fatal shooting, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

The Sheriff's Office gave this account of the incident:

About 11:14 p.m. Thursday, deputies were called to a home at 13424 West Rena Drive for a report of an injured person. Deputies found Giles unresponsive in a travel trailer parked outside the home and pronounced her dead, apparently from a number of gunshot wounds.

Detectives later located witnesses who fled the scene as deputies arrived and with their help identified Yates as a suspect.

Yates was inside the travel trailer with Giles and another man— 61-year-old Wesley Warn, whose address was listed as transient, Largo — when Yates became agitated and threatened Warn with a .380 caliber handgun, the Sheriff's Office said. Yates then turned the gun on Giles, shot her once and fled the scene.

A short time later, Yates returned and shot Giles again and again, the Sheriff's Office said.

Witnesses told detectives that Giles and Yates had been dating for several months before Yates threatened Giles with violence and Giles called off the relationship. Detectives believe Giles and Yates were dating again at the time of the shooting.

Yates was arrested about 2 p.m. Saturday on one charge of first degree murder and one charge of aggravated assault. He was already in custody following his arrest by Largo police about 4:30 a.m. Friday on charges of burglary, simple battery, resisting arrest without violence, battery on a law enforcement officer and battery on health service personnel.

Largo police transported Yates to a hospital for injuries he received during his initial arrest.

Yates remains in custody at a hospital.