PALM BAY, FL- A nineteen-year-old Florida man is facing multiple charges after officials say he murdered and dismembered a sex offender, News 6 in Orlando reported.
Lucas Jones had previously been charged with abuse of a dead body, improper disposal of remains, and tampering with evidence. He was initially released on a $7500 bail, however was rearrested a week later and charged with murder, Not the Bee reported.
The incident came to light when vultures were seen circling over a remote area of Palm Bay known as The Compound. This is a notorious spot where dead bodies have previously been found.
Authorities responded to the area and found two suitcases containing human remains. It took several days to confirm that the remains were those of Colie Lee Daniel, 28, a registered sex offender. Jones told police that he killed Daniel “because he was a sex offender” and he “wanted to kill him.” Daniel had been reported missing on March 22.
Jones’ girlfriend told detectives that he had confessed to killing Daniel, telling her, “I killed somebody and cut him up.” She further told police she didn’t know how Jones and Daniel had become acquainted, “but knows Jones had printed a list of nearby sex offenders,” authorities said in a release. She also told authorities that she drove Jones to The Compound, where she saw him discard containers and other items.
News 6 reported that when police found the suitcases, one contained an Amazon package which had Jones’ name on it, and they also found a knife inside the suitcase, which was the same type found at Jones’ house. Police said it had blood stains on it.
While authorities have not yet released specific details on how the killing happened, they obtained enough evidence to add the murder charge. Jones’ girlfriend also told police that Daniel had been at Jones’ home on March 20, laying in Jones’ bed. The girlfriend told police she didn’t know if he was sleeping, unconscious or dead.
When police served an arrest warrant at Jones’ home, he had visible injuries and declined to speak with investigators, Fox News Digital reported.
The case remains under investigation. Jones is scheduled for a preliminary court hearing on April 21, where he will be arraigned.
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