PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. ( WMBB ) – A four-day trial ended on Friday when a jury found an Arizona man guilty of strangling his friend in their hotel room during a trip to Panama City Beach.
According to a news release, 43-year-old Scottie Jay Black was found guilty of second-degree murder for the death of 41-year-old Tyrell James Sagg.
On October 3, 2021, officials said Black and Sagg’s girlfriend reported finding Sagg dead in their hotel room, during the time the three were apparently on vacation.
However, there were no visible injuries to the victim, officials wrote.
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Investigators said an autopsy later showed the victim had internal injuries consistent with being strangled. Further investigation showed Black and the woman later withdrew money using the victim’s ATM card and returned to Arizona.
No one else entered or left the room during the time the victim was killed, officials said.
During the trial, prosecutors called 12 witnesses, including a Navajo Nation Police investigator who helped locate the suspect and two Panama City Beach Police investigators who flew to Arizona to interview Black.