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State drops resisting arrest charge against murder suspect Markeith Loyd

ORLANDO, Fla. — The state on Friday afternoon dropped a charge against murder suspect Markeith Loyd.

Prosecutors dropped one count of resisting a law enforcement officer without violence, saying that the charge wasn’t warranted.

The state dropped the misdemeanor charge because Loyd is charged with “multiple homicides and other serious felonies” and because prosecutors are “seeking the death penalty,” court records said.

The document was filed by Assistant State Attorney Richard Karl Buxman on behalf of State Attorney Brad King.

Gov. Rick Scott appointed King to prosecute the case after removing State Attorney Aramis Ayala from the case upon revealing that she wouldn’t seek the death penalty during her tenure.

Loyd is accused of fatally shooting his pregnant ex-girlfriend, Sade Dixon, in December and Orlando police Lt. Debra Clayton in January.

He was captured in Orange County after a nine-day manhunt.

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