Arrest Made in Seffner Homicide

SEFFNER, FL — A 19-year-old Seffner man faces first-degree murder charges following the Tuesday shooting death of a woman.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to a home in the 12000 block of Park Avenue around 1:14 p.m. Oct. 11. When they arrived, they found Destiny Mayes, 20, of Riverview suffering from a gunshot wound. Mayes was taken to Brandon Hospital, but died from her injuries, an email from the sheriff’s office said.

During their investigation, deputies learned a person known as “Q” told everyone to get out of the home for 30 minutes. Q, later identified as Uthman Jalabi of Down Pine Drive in Seffner, was then seen leaving the home in a brown Crown Victoria, the email said.

Based on that information, Jalabi was pulled over in the area of Woodberry and Falkenburg Road.

“Jalabi’s vehicle was observed to have blood on the driver’s door handle and he admitted throwing a gun in the wood area near his vehicle,” the email said. That gun was a .38 caliber revolver with a spent casing in its cylinder, the email added.

Jalabi, deputies said, admitted to slapping Mayes, stopping her from leaving the home and trying to get rid of the gun.

Jalabi and Mayes knew each other, the email noted.

Jalabi was charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and tampering with evidence. No further information is available at this time.

Booking photo and photo of Destiny Mayes courtesy of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office