On February 5, 2023, 57-year-old Arthur Scurry Jr. was found dead in the Highway Park neighborhood of Lake Placid, Florida. Deputies from the Highlands County Sheriff's Office responded to a call at a house on Josephine Avenue around 11:20 a.m. and discovered Scurry Jr. with multiple gunshot wounds.
The investigation has identified 25-year-old Shavartae Makel Deloach as the suspect in Scurry Jr.'s murder.
Deloach is described as a black male, 5’6″ tall, and 130 pounds, with brown hair and eyes. He is considered armed and dangerous, and authorities are actively seeking his whereabouts.
A warrant has been issued for Deloach's arrest on charges of first-degree homicide in connection with Scurry Jr.'s premeditated shooting death. Anyone with information about Deloach's location is urged to contact the Highlands County Sheriff's Office or submit anonymous tips through Heartland Crime Stoppers, which may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $9,500.
This incident is one of two unrelated shootings that occurred in Highlands County over the weekend. The other shooting, which took place on Saturday night, resulted in the critical injury of 42-year-old Manuel Benitez Reyes Guzman, who was found with a gunshot wound to the head at a BP gas station. A separate suspect, 34-year-old Gary Ralph Jowers, is in custody in connection with this second shooting, facing charges of attempted second-degree murder.
