Man ‘covered in blood’ confesses to killing, leads cops to body, Florida sheriff says

A man standing around “covered in blood” was reported by a concerned neighbor, but the situation got more dire when he confessed the blood wasn’t his own, according to Florida investigators.

“A 911 caller stated his neighbor told him that he killed someone,” the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

The call was made around 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21, from a home in Palm Harbor, and it didn’t take long for deputies to confirm the story. Palm Harbor is about a 25-mile drive northwest from downtown Tampa.

“When deputies arrived on scene, they located the suspect, 37-year-old Matthew Weldon, in front of the residence covered in blood,” the sheriff’s office said.

“Weldon told deputies ‘He is dead’ and pointed towards the residence. Deputies then discovered the victim ... lying on the back patio of the residence suffering from multiple blunt force injuries to his head, neck, and arm.”

Carroll Bryan, 49, of nearby St. Petersburg, was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said.

An investigation revealed the two men had been acquaintances only two weeks and had a disagreement over a borrowed car, officials said.

“Weldon offered help to Bryan and loaned him his vehicle about one week ago. Bryan did not return the vehicle when he agreed to, and Weldon became upset,” the sheriff’s office said.

“Bryan arrived at the residence with Weldon’s vehicle on May 21 ... and they engaged in an argument. ... Bryan was on the rear patio of the residence when he was struck in the back of the head. Bryan was then struck repeatedly while on the ground, causing additional injuries.”

Weldon, who had minor injuries, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, officials said.

This story was originally published May 22, 2024 at 2:50 PM with the headline "Man ‘covered in blood’ confesses to killing, leads cops to body, Florida sheriff says."