Inset: Michael Canty (Hillsborough County Jail). Background: Church’s Chicken in Tampa (Google Maps).
A Florida man allegedly beat a woman to death last June outside a Church’s Chicken in Tampa and left her body to rot near the drive-thru lane.
Michael Canty, aged 54, has been charged with second-degree murder in connection to the death of Dawn Morrison, a 48-year-old woman. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office reported that deputies were called to a fried chicken restaurant located at 2219 E. Fletcher Ave. around 10 a.m. on June 18 to investigate a death. It was there that Morrison’s body, which was in a partially decomposed state, was found under some mulch near the drive-thru area of the restaurant.
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An autopsy revealed that Morrison had died due to a blow to her head. Based on surveillance footage, it was determined that she had passed away on June 15, as stated in a pretrial detention request. Videos from nearby businesses depicted Morrison walking with a man behind Church’s Chicken just before midnight on the evening in question. Although the actual act of murder was not captured, the cameras did record a female voice shouting “quit it, quit it” and “help,” according to the motion.
Additional footage showed the man leaving the scene, changing his shirt, and discarding items in a dumpster. Law enforcement officers circulated a photo of the man from the footage, and an officer located an individual matching his description a few blocks away from where the murder occurred on June 20. The suspect was identified as Canty by the authorities.
Detectives also noted he was wearing the same pants and boots along with a New England Patriots drawstring bag. Canty tried to claim he hadn’t seen the victim since the day before the murder but he changed his tune once showed surveillance images that showed him and Morrison together that night. He then claimed he left Morrison as she sat on a curb near Church’s Chicken. He said he threw away his shirt because it was “dirty,” cops said.
Officers arrested Canty for an open container of alcohol and obtained a search warrant to examine his pants and boots. The Florida Department of Corrections crime lab tested the blood for DNA and they came back as a match for both him and Morrison, according to the motion.
Jail records show Canty was arrested for failure to report as a sex offender in October and again on Feb. 6. During a post Miranda interview with detectives the defendant again denied going to Church’s Chicken with Morrison but when showed the video of him in the area he said it was possible, he just didn’t remember, court documents said. Canty denied killing the victim and could not explain why he would have her blood on his pants.
Canty also is facing a tampering with evidence charge for disposing of his shirt. He remains at the Hillsborough County Jail without bond.
“Our detectives worked tirelessly to bring justice for Dawn Morrison,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. “Their dedication and relentless investigative efforts led to this arrest, ensuring that the individual responsible faces the consequences of their actions.”
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