Plant City stripper jailed on attempted murder charge

TAMPA -- An 18-year-old Plant City woman was jailed Tuesday on an attempted first-degree murder charge, according to Hillsborough County jail records.

Holly Courcelle, a self-employed stripper, was named in the shooting of 23-year-old Henry Chriss, who was shot early July 6 while sitting inside his SUV at Sligh Avenue, east of Harney Road, officials said.

According to an arrest affidavit, Courcelle called Chriss as many as 20 times that day "in an attempt to arrange a location to meet the victim for the purpose of killing him."

Once there, an unidentified gunman fired 13 to 15 rounds into the Lakeland man's 1999 Ford Explorer. Only one of the bullets struck Chriss, who was hit in the left hip and spinal column, the affidavit shows. He was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital.

Courcelle then called someone -- the affidavit doesn't say who -- to "advise him that the victim had been shot and was probably dead."

It is unclear what led to Courcelle's arrest at her residence, 5413 U.S. 92 W in Plant City, at 1 p.m. Tuesday. According to the arrest report, Courcelle confessed to her role in the shooting.

The gunman has not been caught.

-- Casey Cora, Times staff writer

Photo courtesy Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office