A 19-year-old Florida woman is facing a second-degree murder charge in the death of her boyfriend, who lost his life when the couple botched a burglary they were attempting to commit.
The charge stems from a January 11 incident in which Kaylee Grigsby Leinum and Devyn Strickland, 21, broke into a Daytona Beach residence to burglarize it, according to police.
The target was Leinum's ex-boyfriend and the plan was to take $1,000 she knew he had, Sgt. David Dinardi told The Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Once inside the home, Strickland got into an argument with the ex-boyfriend and pulled out a gun, police said. He fired multiple shots at the ex-boyfriend, who was saved by a cell phone in his pocket that stopped a bullet, Police Chief Jakari Young told The News-Journal. The ex-boyfriend then pulled out a knife and stabbed Strickland.
Leinum and Strickland fled the scene but were tracked down by police a short distance away. Strickland was taken to the hospital where he died.
On Monday, Leinum was arrested and charged with second-degree felony murder. Authorities have not commented on what led them to charge her with murder.
"Our detectives worked tirelessly to make sure all parties responsible were held accountable in a tragic crime that altered several young lives," police said in a statement.
The ex-boyfriend is not expected to face charges.
"This was a case of self-defense," Dinardi told The News-Journal. "(The ex-boyfriend) was justified in killing Devyn Strickland."
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