TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — It’s been an uneasy month for Tampa’s Seminole Heights neighborhood and detectives won’t stop working until they find the killer.
Surveillance video released this week shows a person of interest in the case. Tampa Interim Police Chief Brian Dugan said there are three key points in the video to pay attention to.
First, the person is flipping the phone around in a way that could be a recognizable habit. Also, the person’s clothing. It wasn’t a cold night and the person is wearing some kind of jacket. Perhaps the most important part of the video and what the chief is most curious about, moments after Benjamin Mitchell was shot, the person is seen running in the opposite direction of the location where Mitchell was found dead.
“I’ve come up with four reasons why this person is running: One, they may be late for dinner. Two, they’re out exercising. Three, they heard gunshots. And number four, they just murdered Benjamin Mitchell,” said Dugan.
The families of victims Benjamin Mitchell, Monica Hoffa and Anthony Naiboa’s are all desperate for answers and are desperate for closure.
“We’ve gotta get this guy,” said Casimar Naiboa.
That’s the attitude of the entire Seminole Heights community and the law enforcement community.
Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay is offering up to $35,000 for tips leading to an arrest and you can stay anonymous.
“When these calls come into our operators – they do not see a phone number. They do not see an IP address,” said Kelly Mclaren, local Crime Stoppers coordinator.
Detectives hoping one of these calls will be the help they’re looking for.
“I’d like to get this guy behind bars as fast as possible,” said Dugan.
Detectives are going through hundreds of tips, but the most helpful thing for them would be a name rather than just a description of a person.PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
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