ARCADIA, Fla — The Arcadia Police Department recieved a call at 8pm on April 5th for a well being check on Emla Hendricks at 1508 N. Arcadia Avenue. What they didn't know was when they arrived, it would turn into a murder investigation.
When the officers arrived, they say they saw Hugh Powell was home, and that he had blood splatter on his shoes.
Hendricks and Powell both lived in the house, although Hendricks filed eviction papers against Powell last week. She said she was afraid of him.
The arrest report says Officers found a trail of blood from Hendricks's room to Powell's room.
Troy Carrillo, Arcadia Lieutenant, says, "it was a very gruesome scene, in my 20 year career being here, it's probably the worst I've ever seen."
Click here to see Arcadia Community Correspondent Victoria Quevedo talk with Arcadia Lieutenant about the Arcadia house murder.
Police say they found Hendricks' body, locked in her bedroom, at the foot of her bed, in a pool of blood.
The report says, “life-saving measures were attempted, but none prevailed.”
A dented piece of metal pipe, bloody box-cutter knife, a broken knife handle and a screwdriver were found nearby.
Neighbors Louie and Nancy Mabrey say, "we are very much aware of the world we live in and the difficulties that occur, but we feel very very safe in our home and in this neighborhood. The neighbors here are very good, they look after one another."
"The community's should not be worried, i believe from the facts we have at hand now, that this was just an isolated incident at this one residence," Carrillo says.
Powell is being held in jail without bond, and with first-degree premeditated homicide charges.
The Lieutenant told me detectives have search warrants for the suspect's vehicles and his DNA.
