GULFPORT, Fla. — Authorities have arrested 28-year-old Elisha Christopher Landry in connection with the death of his best friend and roommate, 34-year-old Shaun Allen Hennigh, following a fatal shooting at a Gulfport residence last month.
Landry has been charged with second-degree murder after Hennigh was allegedly shot in the back of the head on April 17.
Incident Details
According to the Gulfport Police Department probable cause affidavit, the dispute reportedly began over a vape device. Landry allegedly became enraged after discovering Hennigh vaping inside their home. Hennigh then went to the garage, where Landry was armed with a 9 mm handgun.
Police say Landry dragged Hennigh’s body into the garage and waited more than four hours before calling 911. When officers arrived around 5:04 a.m., Landry reportedly told the dispatcher, “my best friend’s shot in the garage”, but initially claimed he wasn’t sure if Hennigh had shot himself. Neighbors reported hearing the gunshot and a car alarm nearly four and a half hours earlier.
Conflicting Statements
Landry allegedly gave multiple, contradictory explanations about how the shooting occurred. He initially claimed the two were “play-fighting” and that Hennigh grabbed the gun from Landry’s waistband, but later denied this and offered inconsistent accounts to investigators.
Forensic evidence reportedly contradicted Landry’s claims of an accidental shooting. Blood patterns indicated Hennigh had been dragged from outside to inside the garage, and Landry admitted to changing clothes before officers arrived.
Authorities also noted that Landry’s mother, a licensed travel nurse, was present in the home during the hours between the shooting and the 911 call but was never alerted to help her friend.
Background and Motive
Landry and Hennigh reportedly had a history of volatile disagreements, including disputes over finances. Text messages recovered from Hennigh’s phone suggested that Landry had previously evicted him from the home in January, forcing Hennigh to temporarily couch surf.
Official Findings
The Pinellas County Medical Examiner’s Office determined Hennigh’s death to be a homicide, caused by a single intermediate-range gunshot wound to the back of the head. The bullet entered the posterior portion of the skull at an upward trajectory.
Landry is currently being held at the Pinellas County Jail without bond. No court date has been publicly announced.
