On Dec. 20, a 26-year-old man was taken into custody in Florida in connection with the 2017 murder of a 33-year-old man. The murdered man was last seen on Sept. 15, 2017, by family members. Five days later, he was reported missing.
On Sept. 27, 2017, the victim’s vehicle was found abandoned. On Nov. 25, 2017, his remains were found in a trash can. Experts were able to identify him and determine that he had been violently murdered.
The man taken into custody allegedly made large withdrawals from the victim’s bank account. When he was detained on unrelated charges, investigators also questioned him about the man’s disappearance. Guns and other items belonging to the murdered man were found in the accused’s possession. A longer investigation by the sheriff’s department included gathering more forensic evidence, following up on leads and working with the state attorney’s office.
A person who is facing charges for homicide, assault or other violent crimes may want to consult Orlando, Florida violent crimes defense lawyers. An attorney may be able to suggest avenues of defense depending on the circumstances and what kind of evidence the prosecution has. For example, the person might be able to provide evidence of being elsewhere at the time the crime occurred. It may be possible to cast doubt on the accuracy of evidence or eyewitness reports.
Another option may be for the person to make a deal with the prosecution known as a plea bargain. This means that the person avoids a trial and pleads guilty instead. Usually, the guilty plea is to lesser charges and results in a lighter sentence. This may be significant in crimes for which the penalty is likely to be severe.
Source: News Channel 8, “Man arrested in connection with 2017 Citrus County murder where remains found in trash can,” 12/21/2018