Page 3 - Florida Sentinel 11-24-17

Feature
Reward Grows To $110,000 In Seminole Heights Murders
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
The reward for informa- tion pertaining to the four murders in Seminole Heights has increased again. The most recent contributor with a $10,000 donation is David A. Straz, Jr. Straz is a retired banker and possible candidate for the Mayor’s office in 2019.
Last Thursday, Richard Gonzmart, owner, of the Co- lumbia and Ulele Restaurants, added $9,000 to bring the of- fering to $100,000. The com- munity has donated $6,000.
Law Enforcement contri- butions are: $50,000 from the Federal Bureau of Investiga- tion; $10,000 from the Florida Department of Law Enforce- ment; $20,000 from ATF (Bu- reau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives); and $5,000 from Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay.
The reward is for informa- tion leading to the identifica- tion, arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the
BENJAMIN MITCHELL Died October 9th
4 deaths in Seminole Heights since October 9th.
Digital Billboards
In addition to the flyers and word of mouth about the rewards, law enforcement has also initiated the use of digital billboards. Currently, the bill- boards are throughout Hills- borough and Pinellas Counties. They were donated by Clear Channel and Outfront Media.
Police Wants Suspect Identified
Last month, police released
MONICA HOFFA Died October 11th
footage of the person captured at the time of the first murder on October 9th. The video shows a person walking to- ward the direction where Ben- jamin Mitchell’s body was found and moments later run- ning away in the opposite di- rection.
At the time, the individual was referred to as a “person of interest.” However, Chief Brian Dugan released a video taken minutes before 60-year-old Ronald Felton was shot to death.
During the press confer- ence, Chief Dugan said the “person of interest” shown in the first video is now consid- ered a suspect.
“We got to the scene within minutes of the shooting and he was gone. We need to know who this man is. We need to get this man out of our com- munity. We need someone to give us names. It appears to be
ANTHONY NAIBOA Died October 19th
the same person in the video. If that person didn’t do it, they know something.”
Chief Dugan further said he is not using the word “serial killer” but the person in the video may be responsible for at least two of the murders.
The department has re- ceived more than 2,300 leads and two dozen detectives are following them.
The Victims
Police believe the murders are bound by the fact that the victims were alone, walking in the dark, and possibly pre-oc- cupied, Chief Dugan said.
The first murder occurred October 9th. Benjamin Ed- ward Mitchell, 22, was walking near N. 15th Street at Frierson Avenue. His body was found near the bus stop.
On October 13th, around 9:30 a.m., a city employee found the body of Ms. Mon- ica Caridad Hoffa, 32, in a vacant lot in the 1000 block of
RONALD FELTON Died November 14th
East New Orleans Avenue. She had last been seen walking through the neighborhood on October 11th, en route to meet a friend.
On October 19th, shortly before 8 p.m., 20-year-old An- thony Naiboa was walking north on 15th Street in the area of Wilder Avenue when he was killed.
The suspect waited for nearly a month before he took the life of 60-year-old Ronald Felton. Felton was near the intersection of N. Nebraska Avenue and E. Caracas, when he was approached from be- hind. His death is unique in that the killer struck at 4;50 a.m., instead of at night as he had in the past.
Anyone with information can report it anonymously and may be eligible for the reward by contacting Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay at 1-800-873- TIPS or www.crimestopper- stb.com.
Reward Breakdown In Seminole Heights Killings
So far, more than $100,000 has been donated for information in the Seminole Heights Murders. The information must be given to Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay first in order to collect the full re- ward.
In the event multiple suspects are identified and arrested, the money will be divided. The reward amount is subject to restrictions imposed by the providing agency.
Crime Stoppers, ($5,000), Rise Tampa, (the foundation that raises money for the Tampa Police Department), ($15,000), the Florida Department of Law Enforcement ($10,000), and the Fed- eral Bureau of Investigation ($50,000), will pay for information that leads to the identification and arrest of the suspect.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, ($20,000), will pay for information that leads to the arrest and con- viction of the suspects.
Anyone with information can report the tips anonymously on- line at www.crimestopperstb.com.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 3-A