A Florida Man Bought Marijuana with Counterfeit Money at Hardee's. Then, He Shot the Upset Suspected Drug Dealer Dead.

A case of homicide at a Hardee's restaurant ended with a man entering a plea to second-degree murder in northwest Florida.

Trayvon Dorsey, 21, received a 30-year prison term for his April 25 no contest plea north of Panama City. It came on the day his trial was scheduled to begin.

Prosecutors say Dorsey went with a friend to a Hardee's in Graceville in November 2020 for a marijuana deal. But Dorsey reportedly tried to buy pot with counterfeit money.

That led to an argument as the group left the restroom. Authorities say Dorsey pulled out a gun and shot suspected drug dealer Shannon Weatherington twice. Weatherington died from a gunshot wound to the chest.

“Whatever the circumstances, verbal disputes cannot be settled by gunfire and deadly force,” Jackson County Chief Prosecutor Shalla Jefcoat said.

WMBB-TV reported Dorsey, a native of nearby Dothan, Alabama, outran the law for almost a year before he was captured.

A statement from Florida State Attorney Larry Basford noted Dorsey also paid for a haircut with counterfeit bills before heading to the restaurant.

Under Florida law, Dorsey will not be eligible for parole for 25 years.