St. Petersburg man charged with murder after girlfriend found dead in alley

St. Petersburg police arrested a man on suspicion of murder on Sunday after his girlfriend was found dead in an alley.

According to a press release from the St. Petersburg Police Department, detectives have arrested 41-year-old Daniel Coley in connection with the death of 40-year-old Amanda Browning.

A passerby found Browning's body near a dumpster in the 3800 block of 15th Avenue North around 8 a.m. Saturday and called police. Browning had visible stab and cut wounds.

According to Coley's affidavit, Browning's body was found wrapped in a blanket.

According to the affidavit, she was last seen around 10:45 p.m. Friday in the parking lot of the apartment building where she lived with Coley. Police said the couple shared an apartment in the 1100 block of 58th Street North.

Coley gave investigators permission to search his car and the couple's home, the affidavit states. When investigators opened the vehicle's tailgate, they found a large amount of blood in the trunk.

Coley could not provide an explanation for the blood, the affidavit states.

Video reviewed by investigators showed Coley cleaning the back of his car, where investigators discovered the blood, and carrying an object from his apartment to a dumpster in the parking lot around 6 a.m. Saturday. Police found the object and found blood on it. Investigators also found blood on the wall of his apartment.

Coley told investigators he was in the area where Browning's body was found. He had a cut on his right hand “consistent with a knife slipping from his hand,” the affidavit said.

Coley was booked into the Pinellas Jail on a second-degree murder charge and was ordered held without bail Monday.

Times writer Tony Marrero contributed to this report.