Eric Thornhill Chavis, 27, of St. Petersburg, Florida, was shot in the early morning hours of July 5, 2021, around 3:37 a.m. The shooting happened in the parking lot of Leanne’s Rental Hall at 1566 16th Street South, where a crowd of roughly 100 to 150 people had gathered. Officers found Chavis critically wounded by gunshot; despite first aid from police and later treatment at a hospital, he died of his injuries.

Investigators identified 32-year-old Michael Anthony Peak Jr., also of St. Petersburg, as a suspect. On October 2, 2021, Peak was arrested in the 5400 block of Burlington Avenue North and charged with second-degree murder. Police say their case relied on evidence collected at the scene and witness statements, and they asked the public for additional information to assist the investigation.

Anyone who was at Leanne’s Rental Hall that night or who has information about the shooting is asked to come forward with tips.