|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Investigation continues into Seminole murder
By BOB MCCLURE
Article published on Tuesday, June 17, 2008
 |
![[Image]](/content_images/061708_smb-01.jpg) |
| Photo by LAURIE ST.MARTIN |
| An unidentified Hispanic man was found dead June 10 in this home at 13937 85th Terrace. |
|
|
SEMINOLE – Pinellas County Sheriff’s detectives were continuing their investigation earlier this week into the murder of a man at a home in a well-maintained Seminole neighborhood.
The investigation began in the early afternoon on June 10 after the body of an unidentified Hispanic man was found in a two-story home at 13937 85th Terrace.
Since then, detectives have identified three Hispanic males as suspects who they say arrived at and departed from the murder scene in an unidentified motor vehicle. No arrests have been made.
The house, which detectives described as a rental property, was home to up to 24 Chinese and Mexican nationals. Many of them, according to neighbors, worked at Super Buffet Sushi and Grill in the Seminole Mall.
“The last time I saw them all, there must have been 24 or 25 people in that house,” said neighbor Carolyn Bortnyk. “Every morning between 10 and 10:15 a.m. they would load up in a van and then come back about 10:15 at night.”
Bortnyk, who was not in town when the murder took place, said the group usually didn’t bother anyone and would generally mill around in front of the house late at night and talk on their cell phones.
“They never bothered anyone that I know of,” said Bortnyk. “It’s just disconcerting to have that many people living in one house in this neighborhood.”
“We all thought it was strange but what do you do?” asked Laurie St. Martin, who lives down the street from the murder scene. “They didn’t bother us.”
According to Pinellas County regulations, only six people can live in a residence unless they’re all related. The county also states a family residence must have 150 square feet for the first person and a minimum of 100 square feet for each additional resident.
According to county records, the home has 2,036 square feet of living space.
It is co-owned by Hanny Lau, So Wah Lau and Jonny Karim. It was purchased in 2004 for $257,000.
“It’s disturbing to have something like that happen here,” said neighbor Bill Deets. “This is a nice neighborhood.”
“It’s kind of scary,” said neighbor Dina Polen. “We all have small children. Thank goodness it happened on a morning we were not out in the front yard playing.”
Polen said it was not uncommon for the house residents to sit in various neighborhood driveways late at night to make phone calls.
“They never really bothered us so much that we had to call and complain,” she said. “They just seemed kind of odd.”
“I’m worried that there’s somebody out there that hasn’t been caught,” said St. Martin. “That’s the scary part.”
|
Article published on Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Copyright © Tampa Bay Newspapers: All rights reserved. |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Tampa Bay Newspapers
9911 Seminole Blvd.
Seminole, FL 33772
(727) 397-5563
Open Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
|
|
