CLEARWATER, FL – A Clearwater woman is in the Pinellas County Jail after her boyfriend was found fatally shot in their home, blood evidence still fresh as deputies arrived, officials said.
Deputies with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence on Illinois Road shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday, following a report of possible gunfire. According to court documents, a neighbor told officers they heard a loud bang and a woman exclaim she had a gun. When law enforcement reached the home, 38-year-old Amanda Tenney answered the door.
Deputies noted Tenney appeared to have recently showered, but had blood visible on her face, legs, and feet. Inside, they detected multiple bloody footprints, signaling attempts to clean up the scene. Police entered the residence, where they discovered 60-year-old Patrick Denney in a bedroom with a fatal wound to the head.
Investigators said they located a .45-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun in a different room. After being advised of her rights, Tenney allegedly acknowledged handling a firearm and taking it outside, but denied firing it. Officers also say they found bullet damage to a neighboring property’s fence and window, along with a bullet recovered from that home.
Tenney, who is legally barred from possessing firearms due to a previous felony conviction, was initially taken into custody for gun possession and discharging a firearm into a dwelling. On Tuesday, those charges were upgraded to first-degree murder. Law enforcement has not detailed a possible motive, and the investigation remains active.
At her court appearance, Tenney entered a plea of not guilty. She continues to be held without bail at the county jail.
The victim, Patrick Denney, was the owner of Missouri Collision and Paint, an auto repair business in Clearwater. Community members and friends remember Denney as someone passionate about racing sports cars, boating, and helping neighbors, according to his obituary.
Detectives say the evidence at the scene, including the bloody footprints and presence of the murder weapon, played a crucial role in their case. The projectile recovered from the neighbor’s property is undergoing further analysis.
As the legal process moves forward, authorities are urging anyone with additional information related to the case to contact the sheriff’s office.
No further details about the events leading to the shooting or the relationship between the individuals involved have been released.