Orange County, Florida, has experienced a significant rise in the higher levels of 'Crimes Against Persons,' specifically, 'Murders.' This placed more investigative responsibility on the Orange County Sheriff's Office [OCSO] Homicide Unit, specifically, Sgt. Jake Jacoby and Detective Ed Rollins, one of five Homicide Teams at the OCSO.
Early, on a Wednesday morning, the Homicide Unit was notified, by their communications Center, that an unconscious male was found lying in an orange grove.
An ambulance was dispatched to the scene, as well as the zone deputy. The deputy was dispatched to do an initial investigation.
The ambulance arrived at the scene and declared the adult male, to be deceased. Further search of the area, located two additional victims; a male and a female. The female was deceased and the male was transported to the hospital, where he later died.
Sgt. Jacoby and Det. Rollins were assigned to the case. Arriving at the scene; they joined the patrol deputy, who was the first to arrive; and conducted a search of the area. Large tire tracks were discovered, which were made by a large vehicle. Plaster casts were made of the tire tracks and later verified to have been on a large Dodge Truck, which later became significant.
Identity of the three victims revealed; one male was a civilian, and the other two were Navy Personnel who were attending the Submarine School at the Naval Training Center [NTC], in Orlando. Consequently, the case became a joint responsibility of the OCSO and the NTC.
Naval Students were frequenting the 'High Hopes Bar' on their weekend liberty. One afternoon, following an argument, a fight ensued between the civilian male victim and a member of a small group. This was a result of the civilian victim not paying the other male money he owed.
A few days later, the victim's vehicle was found abandoned near an intersection in the county. It was verified that the vehicle had been abandoned three days after the murders had been committed.
Shortly; a male [from the group] was interviewed, away from the Bar, by Sgt. Jacoby. During the interview, they had coffee. Sgt. Jacoby retained the male's cup for processing. Processing results from the cup; verified, by his DNA and Fingerprints, that he was the person who had abandoned the vehicle.
The Dodge Truck which had been at the orange grove was located and taken in as evidence. The male suspect's DNA matched DNA from small blood splatters found in the Dodge Truck.
Processing of the victim's abandoned vehicle, revealed powder on the tire, in the trunk. Removal of the tire disclosed heavier amounts of powder. Processing identified the powder as cocaine.
Several, rather important, issues were developed to include: Identity of persons involved in area drugs, identity of the murder suspects, determination of victim's cause of death, persons involvement with the Dodge Truck, and surprisingly, who owned it.
