FORT MYERS, Fla. — Lee County Sheriff's Office announced the arrest of a Bonita Springs man in connection to a homicide investigation surrounding a body found in a ditch near Sophomore Ln.
61-year-old Stanley Brown was arrested for second-degree murder after deputies said he killed his roommate who he lived with for less than a week.
LCSO Sheriff Carmine Marceno said Brown killed the victim over "living conditions". According to Sheriff Marceno.
Investigators said Brown's criminal record before this only shows misdemeanors.
That Monday morning, two people were out walking and discovered the body of a male victim. Investigators said that the man was likely between 40 and 60 years old, but his name has not been released. The autopsy revealed he died from blunt force trauma.
Detectives shifted their focus from south Fort Myers to Bonita Springs after identifying the man who died.
"The investigation led to a scene on Production Circle in Bonita Spring after the victim was identified," Sheriff Marceno said. "Detectives reviewed all video in the area, canvassing door to door, and located a suspect vehicle that had blood evidence inside.”
According to LCSO, the blood evidence inside the suspect's car linked back to the victim.
Sheriff Marceno said a new piece of equipment helped detectives make the arrest in less than two days.
"We recently purchased a rapid DNA machine that can process DNA samples and give results within 90 minutes," Sheriff Marceno said. "That’s a game-changer, using the greatest and latest technology coupled with good old fashion police work the detectives located the suspect and brought him in for questioning.”
Marceno said this is the 13th homicide in the county this year, and the 11th to be solved, giving the county a 86 percent solve rate.
