January 3, 1974
Ernest Heggs
On January 3, 1974, at approximately 7:05pm, a phone call was made to Leesburg Police Department in reference to an armed robbery and shooting. The location was a gas station, Thrift Oil Company, located at Canal Street and North Boulevard.
An employee was in front of the station taking in the working equipment when he heard a fellow employee, Earnest Heggs, call him. Then the employee heard a gunshot and he thought that he heard Earnest Heggs fall. The employee ran around back to the restrooms. A black male was at the door and pointed a gun in his face. He told the employee to get the man's money and to give him his money also. The black male then told the employee to take care of him, and closed the door and ran off. When the employee opened the door he observed the black male run behind the used car lot in a northerly direction then across the Save Rite shopping center parking lot.
The employee described the black male as about 20-21 years old, 5'6" to 5'7" tall, 130 to 135 pounds with a mustache and goatee. He was wearing a knitted pull over hat, tan or beige colored pull-over shirt or sweater, and dark colored pants. He was carrying a small handgun.
Evidence was collected at the scene and submitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Crime Lab for processing. Earnest J. Heggs later died of a gunshot wound.
If you have any information regarding this murder, please contact the Lake County Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS. You may also contact Captain David L. Marden or Detective Sergeant Frank Hitchcock at 352-728-9862.
Help us solve this crime and put Earnest Heggs' murderer behind bars where he belongs.
February 17, 1987
Velma P. Champayne
On February 17, 1987 at about 9:30 AM, “Victor Kimmel had driven to his mother’s home at 207 S. Seventh Street, Leesburg, Florida, and noticed some screening around her front porch had been torn away. He then drove to the police department which is a few blocks away, to report the break-in. He said he believed his mother’s home had been burglarized. An Officer accompanied Mr. Kimmel to the house and they found the body. It appeared that Velma P. Champayne had been murdered by being beat on the head with a blunt object. The only damage to the house was the torn screen and pry marks around the front door lock. The interior of the home appeared undisturbed. It is unknown if robbery was a motive. Ms. Champayne had lived at the house just more than a year, according to Victor Kinmel’s wife, Joey.” (Sentinel article)
Evidence was collected by Florida Department of Law Enforcement Crime Scene Technicans and taken to FDLE Crime Lab for analysis.
If you have any information regarding this murder, please contact the Lake County Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS. You may also contact Captain David L. Marden or Sergeant Gary Barrett at 352-728-9862.
August 26, 1989
Josephine Williams
On Saturday August 26, 1989 at 10:40 AM, “James Sager, the son-in-law of Josephine Williams found Josephine Williams slain at her home. Mr. Sager said he found her lying on the floor of the kitchen in a pool of blood. She appeared to have been hit or stabbed, he said. There appeared to have been a struggle between Ms. Williams and her assailant(s). Her daughter Patience Sager said she returned to her mother’s home early Sunday morning, but found nothing missing. Inside the bedroom, dresser drawers were left partially open and items had been moved around. The killer likely entered the screened front porch through a cut about 2 feet high and 1 ½ feet wide. A similar cut was found in a window screen and shade going into Williams’ bedroom. Ms. Williams, a retired housekeeper, lived at the same address for 30 years. After her husband died in 1974, she remained at the house.” (from article)
Between 7:30 PM Thursday August 24, 1989 and Saturday morning August 26, 1989 at 10:40 AM person(s) unknown entered Josephine Williams home located at 2107 Waitman Avenue, Leesburg, Florida, and murdered her.
Evidence collected at the scene was submitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Laboratory for processing.
If you have any information regarding this murder, please contact the Lake County Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS. You may also contact Captain David L. Marden or Sergeant Gary Barrett at 352-728-9862.
March 21, 1995
Christopher Taylor
“On March 21, 1995, 19 year old Chris Taylor, of 906 Edmonds Street, was shot twice at about 1:50 AM, by one of three men who pulled up in a car behind Taylor’s step-grandfather’s house and demanded money from him. Police received several tips on the case, but haven’t been able to make any arrests. Police said they are looking for a black man, who was between 18 and 25 years old in 1995. He is 6 feet tall, and weighed about 185 pounds. He also had shoulder-length, black, curly hair at the time. A composite sketch was provided by a witness- Israel Sweeney who was present during the shooting. The vehicle the witness stated to be used in the shooting appeared to be a 1980 or 1981 gold, or light brown colored Chevrolet Monte Carlo with chrome strips on the sides, or a similar looking vehicle. Police did not have a description of the two other men who were with the gunman at the time of the shooting. Chris Taylor’s step-uncle, Israel Sweeney, told police he and Taylor were outside when they saw three men drive by on Cherry Street. After driving by twice, Sweeney said the car stopped and one of the men stepped out from the car and demanded money from Taylor. While Taylor struggled with his assailant for control of the handgun, Sweeney said he went inside to call 911 for help but instead decided to grab his own gun. On his way back, Sweeney said he heard three gun shots being fired. The vehicle had left the area before Sweeney returned to where Chris Taylor was found on the ground with a fatal gunshot wound.” (Sentinel article)
Evidence collected at the scene was submitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Laboratory for processing.
If you have any information regarding this murder, please contact the Lake County Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS. You may also contact Captain David L. Marden or Sergeant Gary Barrett at 352-728-9862.
June 20, 1995
Harvel D. Golden
On June 20, 1995 at approximately 1:04 PM, juveniles riding their bicycles through the area of woods West of Starvos Restaurant, discovered a white male who appeared to be dead. They rode their bicycles to Stavros to call the Police. Police responded to the area near 815 North 14th Street, Leesburg, Florida. The man was identified later as Harvel Dean Golden who was 54 years old. He had been a transient living in the area for about one year. He was discovered lying on a mattress in the woods dead, with dried blood. He appeared to have been beaten to death.
Evidence collected at the scene was submitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Laboratory for processing.
If you have any information regarding this murder, please contact the Lake County Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS. You may also contact Captain David L. Marden or Sergeant Gary Barrett at 352-728-9862.
September 14, 1997
Tanza Sarmaine Bradley
On Sunday morning September 14, 1997, at 2:18 AM, Leesburg Police got a call to respond to the Montclair Plaza at 900 County Road 468, where about 150 to 200 people had gathered in the shopping center’s parking lot for a birthday party. Fliers advertised the event as a “birthday bash for Monkey Nutt” with “free dranks” and a $2 admission. At one point, some of the guests started shooting handguns into the crowd. 19 year old Tanza Bradley died after being shot. Police were not sure whether Bradley was a target or just wandered into the line of fire. Information was developed that there were two or three people who were among the shooters. The shooting was over someone blocking someone else in the parking lot with his car. They started arguing and then they started shooting, and it escalated. No witnesses out of 150 to 200 people have come forward to provide information regarding this murder. Monkey Nutt was identified as Jerry Parker. One arrest was made by Capt. Jerry Gehlbach, of Christopher Erick Williams, who had been identified as one of the shooters. A taped interview with one witness stated that Chris was the only one shooting at the time that the victim was killed. Charges against Christopher Erick Williams were dropped by the State Attorneys Office.
Evidence collected at the scene was submitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Laboratory for processing.
If you have any information regarding this murder, please contact the Lake County Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS. You may also contact Captain David L. Marden or Sergeant Gary Barrett at 352-728-9862.