Man Sentenced to 40 Years for Strangling Friend in Panama City Beach

BAY COUNTY, FL - Scottie Jay Black, 43, was sentenced to 40 years in prison for the second-degree murder of his friend, Tyrell James Sagg, 41, during a trip to Panama City Beach in October 2021. The two, along with Sagg's girlfriend, were vacationing in the area when Sagg was found dead in a hotel room. There were no visible injuries, but an autopsy revealed internal injuries consistent with strangulation.

After the murder, Black used Sagg's ATM card and fled the scene. Black was eventually apprehended on the Navajo Nation and found guilty last month. During sentencing, prosecutor Peter Overstreet highlighted Black's lack of remorse, noting that after the murder, he had sex with a woman in the room, showing indifference to Sagg's death.

Judge Brantley Clark sentenced Black to 40 years in prison, acknowledging the severity of his actions and the lasting impact on Sagg's family, particularly his children. The case was investigated by the Panama City Beach Police Department, who traced Black's whereabouts to Arizona.