Police find vehicle belonging to slain woman's boyfriend

ST. PETERSBURG -- The vehicle belonging to the boyfriend of 27-year-old Kelly Burgess, found gunned down in her apartment Saturday, has been recovered (see photo above) at a Clearwater mall, police said.

Meanwhile, the owner of the 2001 Honda Civic, 39-year-old Troy A. Sierra, remains jailed on unrelated charges in an Orange County jail.

Police first visited the couple's residence at the Promenade apartment complex after a report late Friday morning of shots fired, but left after investigators questioned neighbors and determined nothing there was out of the ordinary.

Early Saturday morning, Sierra (left) was booked into an Orange County jail on a cocaine possession charge and an open container violation, jail records show.

When police returned to the Promenade apartment complex, 540 Carillon Parkway N, about 6 p.m. Saturday, they found Burgess' body inside her apartment. She had been shot to death.

Although police have called a number of Sierra's actions suspicious, investigators have so far stopped short of naming him as a suspect.

Please return to tampabay.com for updates.

- Casey Cora, Times staff writer

Photo of car by Eammon Kneeshaw

Booking photo of Sierra courtesy of Orange County Sheriff's Office; Photo of Burgess courtesy St. Petersburg Police Department