Longboat Key murder suspect in coma

Darryl Hanna Jr., the Bradenton man charged in the double-homicide at the Zota Beach Resort last summer, is in a coma, said Thomas Swigeart, whose partner, Kevin Carter, was killed in the Aug. 4 incident.

Longboat Key Police Chief Pete Cumming confirmed he had also been told of Hanna's condition.

The victims’ families were notified that Hanna suffered a stroke-like attack on Sept. 10 and has been medically unresponsive since. Hanna was to have appeared in court on Oct. 26 for a case management conference.

Hanna was originally scheduled to be arraigned Sept. 8, but that date was put off because of the approach of Hurricane Irma. A rescheduled arraignment on Sept. 22 was continued to a later date.

Following the medical episode, Hanna was taken to a hospital in Ruskin because Manatee Memorial Hospital was being evacuated in advance of Irma, said Suzanne O’Donnell, assistant state attorney. Hanna was later moved from the hospital to Manatee County Jail’s infirmary, where he has been since in a coma and under round-the-clock surveillance. 

The next court date has been scheduled for late February when Hanna's defense team will likely to file a suggestion of incompetency to say he's not fit to stand trial, O’Donnell said.

Zota Beach Resort night manager Timothy Hurley, 59, of Sarasota was killed along with Carter, a 51-year-old Bradenton security guard, in the robbery-homicide. In court documents, authorities allege Hanna entered the hotel lobby around 2:40 a.m. in an attempt to rob the front desk. About $900 was taken.

Hanna was arrested Aug. 9. 

The shooting was the first on Longboat since 2000 and just the third homicide in more than 30 years.