A Hernando sheriff’s deputy heard the gunshots.

HERNANDO COUNTY – Sheriff’s deputies have arrested a Bayonet Point woman and charged her with shooting a man to death.

Jeffrey Lott, 45, was found dead of gunshot wounds about 2:56 a.m. Thursday (Aug. 4) in the northern end of the parking lot of the Holiday Inn Express at 3528 Commercial Way in Spring Hill.

Kayla Breann Evelyn L. Collins, 23, of 7216 Country Club Drive, Bayonet Point, was arrested Friday (Aug. 5). She was charged with second degree murder, armed robbery and grand theft auto, according to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office.

According to the sheriff’s office, Deputy Troy Hyler was conducting a traffic stop on Commercial Way just north of the Holiday Inn Express when he heard several gunshots that sounded close by. He quickly cleared the stop and went to investigate. Hyler found Mr. Lott in the northern end of the Holiday Inn Express parking lot dead of gunshot wounds. Hyler said it was obvious that Mr. Lott was the victim of a robbery. Witnesses told deputies that a white truck was seen leaving the scene at a high rate of speed right after the shots were fired.

About 12:30 p.m., Detective Cole Brinson received a call from the foreman of a crew assigned to clean a foreclosed home at 13818 Peace Blvd. in Spring Hill. While entering the property, the foreman found personal effects belonging to Mr. Lott. Also on the property was a white Dodge truck, similar to the one deputies were searching for. The truck was Mr. Lott’s work truck, which deputies said had been stolen and then dumped by the killer, deputies said.

Just before 3 a.m. Friday, exactly 24 hours after the homicide was committed, Hernando detectives, with help from Pasco detectives, arrested Collins in Pasco.

For information about the Hernando sheriff, go to hernandosheriff.org.

Hernando Sheriff | Pasco Sheriff | Murder | Jeffrey Lott | Crime | TB Reporter

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