[12][13] Speculation became rampant about a serial killer, and the media dubbed the murders "The Hog Trail Killings", named for the wooded areas in which the bodies of the victims were found.[13]. He has now been booked into the Sarasota County jail. [19], Conahan is currently housed at Union Correctional Institution in Raiford, Florida. Charlotte County Public Schools confirmed a former teacher of theirs, Susan Harris, was the victim in the murder-suicide. Web A man committed suicide after barricading himself inside a Port Charlotte home following a domestic-related shooting. The attorneys decided there wasnot enough evidence to take the case before a grand jury. Douglas, according to the womans daughter during interviews, had been pursuing the woman romantically while also encouraging her to end her current relationship. The investigators explored whether Luis Villegas' work as a guard atHillsborough Correctional Institution played a role in the slayings. With this tightened timeline, investigators were able to narrow in on a suspect. [15] The following February, he was charged with the murder of Montgomery, while the attempted murder charges in the Burden case were dropped. Noises awoke LuisVillegas, and he told his wife to call 911. However, compared to other communities of similar population size, Port Charlotte has a crime rate that is noticeably lower than the average. Investigators were able to verify John Doe #1 as Lombard after testing DNA samples obtained from his sister, brother and son. According to our analysis of FBI crime data, your chance of becoming a victim of crime in Port Charlotte is 1 in 86. Reflects 2021 calendar year; released from FBI in Oct. 2022 (latest available). Another theory is that the two homes were similar enough in size, color andlocation that the killers broke into the Stasny home by mistake. And so he was given the name John Doe #1. WebPort Charlotte violent crime is 28.0. With police fearing that there may be a serial killer on the loose, there was finally a break in the case in April of 1996. Daniel O. Conahan, 65, of Port Charlotte, and drifter Brian Alpress Hunt, who landed in Bonita Springs, were accused of killing multiple people across Southwest Florida in the '90s. Discover your neighborhood's best match, anywhere. The second was a man who had been raped, murdered, and mutilated only the day before, and was identified as Richard Allen Montgomery. When he was a teenager, he discovered he was homosexual; this displeased his parents, who sent him to several psychiatrists. Forecast: Thick fog could impact your Wednesday morning, Car noise pollution regulations may be coming to Collier County, Boat dumped on side of road in Lehigh Acres, Island Coast baseball prepares for new season after making history, winning state title. Investigators say they believe the killings were committed by the same men.One of the strongest theories is that the killings were drug-related. Copyright 2023 Waterman Broadcasting of Florida, LLC, Port Charlotte man arrested for murder after stabbing woman 38 times, 6-year-old girl accidentally shoots North Port grandmother, Immokalee man found guilty of murder with a firearm, Red tide alert lifted for Lighthouse Beach Park in Sanibel, Forecast: Thick fog could impact your Wednesday morning, Car noise pollution regulations may be coming to Collier County, Boat dumped on side of road in Lehigh Acres, Island Coast baseball prepares for new season after making history, winning state title. Nearly 30 years after the mutilated, decomposed body of a man was discovered deep in the woods of Port Charlotte, Florida, detectives with the Charlotte County Sheriffs Office say they have identified a possible victim of the alleged Hog Trail Murders serial killer. How does Port Charlotte fare compared to other communities in Florida of all population sizes? Poor. There are a total of 53,771 sex offenders in Florida. Its still unclear what led up to the tragic scene. NORTH PORT, Fla. A Port Charlotte man was arrested in connection to the gruesome murder of a woman in North Port. When police arrived on scene, they found a woman lying on her back with both hands behind her body and her mouth taped. "There are people out there that could help us, but have chosen not to. The North Port skeleton has not been identified. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". NORTH PORT, Fla. - The discovery of five bodies found scattered in desolate areas of Port This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The chance that a person will become a victim of a violent crime in Port Charlotte; such as armed robbery, aggravated assault, rape or murder; is 1 in 459. The killers were probably young men under the influence of drugs or alcoholwhen they committed the crimes, investigators said. A task force comprising members of the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office,the North Port Police Department and the Florida Department of LawEnforcement and investigators from the state attorney's office for the 12thand 20th judicial circuits was assembled in the days after the slayings. She had approximately 38 stab wounds to multiple areas of her body (head, torso, groin), with her intestines visible on top of her torso, NPPD said. WebCrime is ranked on a scale of 1 (low crime) to 100 (high crime) Charlotte County violent crime is 14.8. "If we have to wait and keep reviewing till the cows come home, we will,"Myers said. Mike Gandy. Port Charlotte has an overall crime rate of 12 per 1,000 residents, making the crime rate here near the average for all cities and towns of all sizes in America. [9][10][11] The first body was later identified as Kenneth Lee Smith. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Now let us turn to take a look at how Port Charlotte does for violent crimes specifically, and then how it does for property crimes. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Myers hopes the $10,000 reward offered by FDLE will entice someone to comeforward. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. "After contacting the family, it was determined that this was a large family of seventeen siblings and one of the brothers, Gerald (Jerry) Lombard had not been seen or heard from since approximately 1991 or 1992," a statement from the sheriff's office read. 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PaulStasny was a retired carpenter who had received a Purple Heart in World WarII. James Clark (lynching victim) Wejust haven't reached that crossroads.". Douglas is facing charges of first-degree premeditated murder. "It was one of the worst crime scenes I've ever seen," said North PortPolice Lt. Robert Estrada, a 20-year veteran law officer. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. WebKey findings Port Charlotte crime rates are 27% higher than the national average Violent crimes in Port Charlotte are 37% higher than the national average In Port Charlotte Violent Crime Comparison (per 1,000 residents), Property Crime Comparison (per 1,000 residents). Thereis no statute of limitations for homicides. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Your chance of being a victim of murder in Port Charlotte Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. The process took seven years and investigators were able to narrow down a list of his potential relatives due to DNA findings in 2020. WebA third man's mutilated body was discovered in North Port on March 7, 1996. As investigators grilled witnesses, a recurring story emerged. In a statement on Wednesday, Charlotte County Sheriff's Office announced that new DNA testing has confirmed the identity of the previously unknown murder victim as Gerald "Jerry" Lombard, a Massachusetts man who went missing in the early 1990s. Night or day, it's a very safe place. Detective Vogel told Dateline that the cold case team continues to investigate Jerrys case. 7,043,501 and 7,680,859. [16], Conahan was tried for the 1996 kidnapping and murder of victim Richard Allen Montgomery. The body had been outside for about a month and had rope burns on the skin and the genitalia had been removed and discarded. Crime risk indices are nationally comparable on a 1 100 scale, where 100 means safer than 100% of U.S. neighborhoods. Two hunters noticed buzzards circling in the area and decided to follow the birds. PORT CHARLOTTE The family of a 15-year-old boy who died protecting his little sister is on a mission for justice. The star witness was Stanley Burden, who authorities alleged had been nearly killed by Conahan in 1994. According to the news release, a woman believed to be John Does niece had also submitted her DNA to Ancestry.com, which they said was likely how the match was made. "I've always wondered who they are and why would they do this to kids,"Estrada said. "Some of the people who have knowledge werequite young, but it's 10 years later. In 1994, on a cool morning in a wooded area of Port Charlotte, a body was found. During the standoff, deputies asked residents to stay inside unless they were ordered to be evacuated by law enforcement within the immediate area. One of the men was identified as 21-year-old Richard Montgomery, who authorities said was a drifter. Burden survived and had rope scars on his body two years later. Conahan, now 67, is currently on death row in the Florida State Prison, according to authorities. They also looked at whether a squabble with Luis Villega's relatives over aninheritance might have motivated the killers. Detective Vogel previously told Dateline it appeared that over the course of more than a decade, the killer targeted white males between the ages of 20-35, who were transient or drifters, in what became known as the Hog Trail Murders.. [25] A victim who formerly known as "Victim H" was identified in September 2022 as Robert Ronald Bobbie Soden. Local News Desk December 13, 2021. Around 2:30 a.m. the killers broke into the Villegas family's North Porthome, about 31/2 miles from the Stasny residence. Investigators believe the rifles stolen from the Stasny home could play akey role in solving the homicides. In February 2020, the Charlotte County Sheriffs Office released an updated rendering to the public with the hope someone would recognize him and come forward to put a name to the victim, Detective Mike Vogel told Dateline at the time. He was one of 17 siblings, but the brothers and sisters had not heard from him since around 1991 or 1992. He was arrested by Charlotte County Sheriffs Office during a traffic stop Thursday. He had been killed only 10 days earlier. After unsuccessful attempts to make contact through negotiators, Harris committed suicide. Conahan's attorney rebutted that Burden was an imprisoned pedophile, serving a 10-to-25-year sentence in Ohio. Theyknow who they are," Gandy said. He was found dead inside the home, according to CCSO. Raw data sources: You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. He was found dead inside the home, according to CCSO. Conahan was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, and moved with his family to Punta Gorda, Florida, shortly after birth. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a10b16adb3f8690 Deputies said this is still an open and active investigation. On Dec. 9th just before Noon, Sarasota Police officers responded to a In 1997, Daniel Conahan was convicted of strangling Richard Montgomery. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Detective Vogel told Dateline when they went back to the area where John Doe #1 was found, they discovered what they believe to be rope markings on the trees. Men in masks stormed two homesand executed six people, three of them children. All the trademarks displayed on this page are the property of Location, Inc. 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