Advertisement

Sheriff's office: Port Richey domestic dispute turns deadly

A man shot his neighbor after the neighbor threatened his life, deputies say.
 
Published Feb. 24, 2019

A Port Richey man heard a commotion from his neighbor's house Saturday night. He left his home to investigate -- and wound up in a dispute that would leave his neighbor dead.

That's according to a Pasco County Sheriff's Office release. No charges have been filed in the neighbor-on-neighbor shooting.

Here's what happened, according to the sheriff's office:

Joshua Ellis, 34, got into a loud argument with a woman at his home on the 10300 block of County Lake Dive. The dispute was so loud that Ellis' next door neighbor, Brien Colby, 39, walked out of his own home to see what was the matter.

Ellis took exception to Colby's presence. While Colby was on the phone with 911 to report the dispute, Ellis moved toward Colby and threatened his neighbor's life. Colby, standing on his own property, shot Ellis in the chest with his 9mm handgun.

Colby tried to stop his neighbor's chest from bleeding, but to no avail: doctors pronounced Ellis dead at Bayonet Point Hospital later that night.

Deputies are still investigating the incident, according to the sheriff's office release.

Contact Kirby Wilson at kwilson@tampabay.com or (727) 893-8793. Follow @kirbywtwets.