FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. — Ginger Madden Bowden, State Attorney for the First Judicial Circuit of Florida, announced that on April 11, 2022, Circuit Judge John Brown sentenced Tony Jerome Byrd to serve two consecutive life prison sentences, plus an additional 20 years in prison to be served consecutively to his life sentences.
An Okaloosa County jury found Byrd guilty of Manslaughter with a Firearm on March 3, 2022. Byrd was also found guilty of Trafficking in more than 14 grams of Methamphetamine by a Jury on February 11, 2022.
The homicide charge was for the July 8, 2019, shooting of 32-year-old Tywon Caldwell Tatum in Crestview, Florida.
The evidence presented during the trial showed that Byrd shot Tatum in the chest during a verbal argument and immediately fled the scene. Byrd was eventually located and arrested by the U.S. Marshals in Atlanta, Georgia, over a month and a half later.
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The trafficking charge was a result of Byrd selling over 14 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer on March 20, 2018.
Because Byrd was on probation for Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon and Felony Battery at the time he committed Manslaughter with a Firearm and Trafficking in Methamphetamine, the Court found Byrd to be in violation of his probation.
Based on Byrd’s extensive criminal history and his recent release from prison, Byrd was designated to be a Prison Releasee Reoffender, a habitual violent felony offender, and a violent felony offender of special concern. Byrd was sentenced to life in prison for Manslaughter with a Firearm, life in prison for Trafficking in Methamphetamine, and 20 years in prison for the violation of his probation.
All sentences were ordered to be served consecutively.
The homicide investigation was conducted by the Crestview Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The trafficking investigation was conducted by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant State Attorney Leah Glisson was responsible for the homicide prosecution and Assistant State Attorney Jennifer Flowers was responsible for the trafficking prosecution.
