DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – A 34-year-old man died Sunday after authorities say he was shot with a gun and an arrow from a crossbow at a Daytona Beach motel. Two men, including a longtime friend of the victim, have been charged with murder, according to Daytona Beach police.
Police said a manager at the Happy Holiday Motel on North Atlantic Avenue called for assistance after 11 p.m. Saturday.
The manager told police he heard a knocking at his door and when he opened it he found the victim, Jeffrey Schusky, 34, bleeding on the ground.
“He had a knife in his hand. The manager opened his door, the victim collapsed, dropped the knife, (he) appeared to have some kind of wound to his stomach,” Daytona Beach Police Chief Craig Capri.
Police and paramedics arrived and attempted life-saving efforts on Schusky but he later died as a result of his injuries. Police said he was shot with a gun and hit with an arrow from a crossbow.
The Medical Examiner’s Office determined the victim’s death was caused by a single gunshot wound to the stomach. An arrow was found in his pelvis, according to the report.
According to the arrest report, police found a crossbow and an arrow outside the window of the Happy Holiday Motel room where Schusky was staying.
Detectives arrested Tarek Mneimne, 32, of Ocoee on Sunday and Taylor Holcomb Barbor, 27, of Ormond Beach on Monday. Both men are charged with first-degree murder.
According to the report, Mneimne was a friend of the victim’s and drove Barbor from the shooting scene knowing Schusky was injured but didn’t call for medical help.
“They plan on doing a burglary. This was all over drugs. The homicide was not supposed to happen, according to Tarek. Taylor goes up to the room to survey it, Tarek is in the car waiting in the getaway car. He comes running down to the car with a gun and they flee and leave the area,” Capri said.
Detectives said Mneime had known the victim for years. Schusky’s mother told News 6 the suspect even spent Thanksgiving at their home.
“We have closure for the victim. Regardless of what he was doing in there, with narcotics and money. We all know it was a drug deal, he didn’t deserve to die over this. Nobody deserves to be murdered,” Capri said.