Stephen Merritt Pope, a 37-year-old man from the Pensacola area, was found dead inside the Spanish Trail apartment he shared with his partner on August 13, 2026. Escambia County sheriff's deputies responded to the residence after Pope's father called 911. According to investigators, Pope had suffered a shotgun wound to the back of his head and appeared to have been dead for a significant period before authorities were contacted. Investigators determined that he had been shot while he was lying in bed.
The investigation quickly centered on Pope's partner and roommate, 31-year-old Will Victor Bryant. Earlier that morning, Bryant reportedly arrived at the home of Pope's parents in an extremely distressed condition. Pope's mother described him to investigators as crying, incoherent and having difficulty speaking clearly. Concerned about Bryant's condition and his reported lack of sleep, Pope's father followed him back to the Spanish Trail apartment. Once there, Bryant paced outside before allowing him inside and telling him that Pope was dead. Pope's father entered the residence, discovered his son's body and called 911 after learning that Bryant had not already contacted authorities.
Deputies and investigators found evidence they believed connected Bryant to the shooting. Authorities reported that a substance on Bryant's shorts tested positive for human blood. A search of Bryant's vehicle uncovered a 12-gauge shotgun partially concealed beneath a windshield shade in the front seat, along with shotgun shells, firearm parts, a gun lock and a receipt showing that the shotgun had been purchased from Academy Sports on June 29, 2026. Investigators later testified that preliminary testing indicated the shotgun recovered from Bryant's vehicle was consistent with the ammunition found at the scene. Preliminary testing also indicated the presence of blood on clothing Bryant was wearing when he was arrested.
Authorities also examined events leading up to Pope's death. His parents told investigators that approximately two weeks before the shooting, Bryant had come to them distraught and crying and expressed concern that Pope had resumed using methamphetamine or a similar substance and that the situation was affecting their relationship. Investigators also recovered a Steak 'n Shake receipt dated late on August 11. Bryant reportedly described the meal as an anniversary dinner for the couple. One meal was found uneaten in the trash and another partially eaten in the living room. Bryant told investigators that after returning home that night, he fell asleep on the couch and had no memory of what occurred afterward until awakening on the morning of August 13 at the Florida Welcome Center near the Florida-Alabama state line.
Bryant was arrested on August 13 and charged with second-degree murder in Pope's death. The Escambia County Sheriff's Office publicly announced the homicide arrest the following day, stating that investigators believed Pope had been shot by his roommate while lying in bed. At that stage of the investigation, authorities said they had not established a motive. Bryant was booked into the Escambia County Jail and held without bond.
During a pretrial detention hearing on August 18, lead investigator John Little testified about the evidence recovered during the investigation and Bryant's statement that he could not remember the period surrounding the killing. Circuit Judge Randall Todd Harris ordered Bryant to remain jailed without bond, finding that the circumstances presented a substantial probability that Bryant committed the charged offense and that no release conditions would sufficiently protect the community. Bryant's attorney, Derrick Castillo, had entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf on August 17. His next court appearance was scheduled for September 4. As of the latest available reporting, Bryant remained accused rather than convicted, and the prosecution of the case was continuing.
Outside the criminal investigation, Pope's obituary described him as thoughtful, intelligent and hardworking. He attended St. Michael Inter-parochial School in Pensacola before attending Gulf Breeze Middle and High Schools, graduating in 2007, and later attended the Georgia Institute of Technology. He left behind his parents, stepparents, sisters, stepbrothers, nieces, nephews and other extended family members. His family announced that a memorial would be held at a later date and suggested donations to the Humane Society or another charity in his memory.
