{"id":52562,"date":"2017-11-15T12:47:48","date_gmt":"2017-11-15T12:47:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=52562"},"modified":"2017-11-15T12:47:48","modified_gmt":"2017-11-15T12:47:48","slug":"florida-serial-killer-claims-another-victim-ronald-felton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/news\/florida-serial-killer-claims-another-victim-ronald-felton.html","title":{"rendered":"Florida serial killer claims another victim, Ronald Felton"},"content":{"rendered":"

Florida serial killer claims another victim, Ronald Felton<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

A FOURTH person has been found dead in a Florida neighbourhood plagued by a string of fatal shootings which police suspect were carried out by the same killer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tampa police have asked Seminole Heights residents to stay in their homes while they search for the killer, the Bradenton Herald reported.<\/span><\/p>\n

Police also asked gun-owning residents to make sure their firearms were locked up.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis has to stop. We will hunt this person down until we find them,\u201d Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to catch this killer before we have to notify one more family that their loved one is dead.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The victim was identified as Ronald Felton, 60, who was crossing the street when a tall, thin man wearing a black baseball cap shot him in the back, the New York Postreported.<\/span><\/p>\n

A witness told police that if he\u2019d been there just seconds earlier, he would have been able to stop the shooting.<\/span><\/p>\n

The killing is the latest in a sting of murders to rock the area.<\/span><\/p>\n

In October, three people were shot and killed within five days of each other with the cases remaining unsolved.<\/span><\/p>\n

The most recent shooting occurred about four blocks from where the second victim was gunned down on October 11 and police believe the killer may live in the area.<\/span><\/p>\n

The search for the shooter has intensified, with police increasing their presence in the neighbourhood and contacting the FBI to help crack the case.<\/span><\/p>\n

Speaking last month, Mr Buckhorn revealed his determination to catch the \u201cson of a b**ch\u201d killer, telling police to \u201cbring his head to me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

INNOCENT LIFE TAKEN<\/span><\/p>\n

SWAT officers, assisted by agents from the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives patrolled the streets with rifles as they moved through yards and knocked on doors following Mr Felton\u2019s death.<\/span><\/p>\n

Interim Police Chief Brian Dugan said officers responded within seconds of the killing and quickly set up a perimeter around the area.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe need everyone\u2019s co-operation; we need everyone to pay attention to what\u2019s been going on,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, family and neighbours have paid tribute to Mr Felton, revealing he had volunteered at a local food bank since losing his job.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cynthia Murray told The Tampa Bay Times that Mr Felton had been living with her near the shooting scene and was an unemployed construction worker who volunteered on Tuesdays and Fridays at the nearby church-run food bank.<\/span><\/p>\n

She said he would go to the church at 2.30am to help.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t need to come here every week but he loved it,\u201d she said, adding both he and his twin brother, Reggie, were well known in the area.<\/span>
\nMr Felton\u2019s cousin, Linda Daniels expressed her shock over the killing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe was the sweetest person, never any problems,\u201d Ms Daniels said.<\/span><\/p>\n

HUNT STEPS UP<\/span><\/p>\n

Police have been hesitant to use the words \u201cserial killer\u201d, but are working on the assumption that the murders are related and that the victims were chosen at random.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, investigators are treating Mr Felton\u2019s killing as if it\u2019s related to last month\u2019s 10-day spree where three people were murdered until it is ruled out otherwise.<\/span><\/p>\n

So far investigators have no suspects, no leads and no motive and the only clue they have is the CCTV footage.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are some distinctive similarities in the killings including that the victims walked the streets alone at night after getting off a bus.<\/span><\/p>\n

They were also killed a few blocks away from each other in a short time frame by a gunshot however, race does not appear to be factor.<\/span><\/p>\n

Last month Mr Dugan said there was a good chance someone knows who\u2019s doing this, CBS News reported.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis pains me to tell you that if you\u2019re out there walking alone that you\u2019re either a suspect or a potential victim,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Seminole Heights is a working-class neighbourhood northeast of Tampa that\u2019s slowly becoming gentrified where run-down homes sit next to renovated, historic bungalows.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to police the suspect is a thin black man, about 1.8m tall, wearing dark clothing and carrying a large handgun.<\/span><\/p>\n

They are asking residents to examine video from any security cameras they have.<\/span><\/p>\n

Police have increased patrols in the area and released surveillance videos of a hooded suspect following the previous three shootings.<\/span><\/p>\n

THE VICTIMS<\/span><\/p>\n

In security video taken moments after Benjamin Mitchell, 22, became the first victim on October 9, the suspect is spotted running from the scene.<\/span><\/p>\n

The city\u2019s police department released an enhanced video that shows a \u201cperson of interest\u201d walking towards the scene where Mr Mitchell was shot dead.<\/span><\/p>\n

The video, which is spliced together from multiple CCTV cameras in various vantage points, later shows the person sprinting away from the scene within seconds of the murder.<\/span><\/p>\n

Just two days after he was killed, Monica Hoffa, 32, was gunned down.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then on October 19, Anthony Naiboa, 20, was shot on North 15th St.<\/span><\/p>\n

The 20-year-old high school graduate had finished his day at his food distribution plant job when he stepped on to the wrong bus.<\/span><\/p>\n

He got off in the neighbourhood of Seminole Heights and began walking to another bus stop to make his way home when he was gunned down.<\/span><\/p>\n

With two previous killings in the area, his worried parents began fearing the worst.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mr Naiboa\u2019s father Casimir and his stepmother Maria Rodriguez heard a news flash a few hours later, adding to their fears.<\/span>
\n\u201cI felt a chill go down my spine\u201d, Mr Naiboa told the Tampa Bay Times.<\/span><\/p>\n

A police officer turned up a few hours later confirming the bad news.<\/span><\/p>\n

Neighbours have also revealed how they\u2019re now living in fear following the latest killing, not knowing who is committing the crime.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jamie Rivera, 40, said he was taking his two children to school when he saw the heavy police presence. He turned on the radio and heard about the latest killing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re all panicking,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s kind of scary because they don\u2019t have any idea who\u2019s doing it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-\u00a0http:\/\/www.news.com.au\/world\/north-america\/florida-serial-killer-claims-another-victim-ronald-felton\/news-story\/fddf5990cbf2781e9273b297e31d8cd6<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t <\/div><\/div>\n\t\t