Port Charlotte man arrested, accused in Sarasota County murder

The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man accused of murder. Brennan Wakey, 25, of Port Charlotte, is charged with killing a man in a Sarasota hotel on Dec. 9.

On Dec. 9, Sarasota police responded to the hotel at 950 University Parkway in Sarasota to investigate a death. They say housekeeping staff found the victim who had been shot in the face.

Now, the victim’s mother is speaking to WINK News about the heartbreaking discovery. “It makes it so hard. I wanted to get on a plane and come right there,” said the victim’s mother.

Colton Wright’s Facebook page shows that, as of November 2021, he was in a relationship with Brennan Wakey. Now, Colton’s mom believes that relationship turned deadly. “This is a mother’s worst nightmare,” she said.

According to police, an unknown man entered the hotel and rented a room around 10 p.m. on Dec. 8. Surveillance video captured the victim at a drive-through a short time later.

Around 2:30 a.m. on Dec. 9, surveillance video captured the unknown man, the victim, and Wakey getting out of the same car in the hotel parking lot.

Police say just after 3 a.m. on Dec. 9, Surveillance video captured Wakey walking quickly out of the hotel with a bag and what they say was a handgun tucked into his waistband.

About an hour later, at around 4 a.m. on Dec. 9, Wakey was stopped by Charlotte County Sheriff’s deputies and taken into custody. Investigators believe Wakey shot Colton in a hotel room in Sarasota.

“I cannot imagine Brennan would do this to my son,” she said.

Colton’s mom says her son comes from a good home. “He’s just a good kid. Honor roll student, homecoming king, loved by everybody,” she said.

She says her son was trying to get his life back on track and away from Brennan Wakey. “This is another one of those stories that has gone tragic from an online site,” the victim’s mother said.

Now, Colton’s family wants justice for him. “I just want people to remember him and think about the good person that he was, and he did not deserve this,” she said.

Wakey is being held at the Charlotte County Jail.

The victim’s death is still under investigation. Police ask anyone with information to call Sarasota Police Department Criminal Investigation Division at 941-263-6070 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers by calling 941-366-TIPS or online at www.sarasotacrimestoppers.com.