Charles Lehnert, a 31-year-old resident of Bradenton, Florida, tragically lost his life on January 23, 2016. The incident occurred in the parking lot of Gravely of Bradenton, a lawn equipment retailer located at 5732 15th St. E. in Manatee County. Lehnert was fatally shot at approximately 6:40 p.m. while walking through the parking lot. The Manatee County Sheriff's Office reported that the shooting appeared to be drug-related.
Surveillance footage captured the suspects fleeing the scene in a red SUV.
Following the incident, two 22-year-old men, Daniel Lee Mann and James Michael Hardy, were arrested in Tallahassee, Florida, on January 25, 2016. The arrests were made after the Tallahassee Police received a tip about the suspects' involvement in the shooting and their location at a local motel. Both Mann and Hardy were charged with murder in connection to Lehnert's death. The suspects were booked into the Leon County Jail.
Daniel Lee Mann had a prior criminal record, including a conviction on May 21, 2015, for possession of marijuana and cocaine, and resisting an officer without violence. He was sentenced to 60 days in the Manatee County jail but was released on time served and placed on probation. Mann violated his probation after failing a drug test on December 1, 2015, and was subsequently arrested on December 29, 2015, before being released again. He was scheduled to appear in court for the probation violation on January 15, but the court date was moved to February 29. James Michael Hardy also had a criminal history, with previous arrests for theft and burglary of a dwelling in 2012.
The investigation into Lehnert's death revealed that the incident was the sixth homicide of the year in Manatee County. The Manatee County Sheriff's Office urged anyone with information about the case to come forward, providing contact details for the sheriff's office and Crime Stoppers. The arrests of Mann and Hardy marked a significant development in the case, as authorities continued to piece together the events leading up to the fatal shooting.
