News Update for 10/28/24
The penalty phase of the State vs. Joseph Ables continues today. Ables was found guilty Tuesday of the first-degree murder of Highlands County Sheriff Deputy William Gentry Jr. The penalty phase of the trial started Thursday morning and continued into Friday afternoon. Victim impact statements were heard by Judge Angela Cowden and the jury on Friday. The victim impact statements are expected to conclude this morning. The State is seeking the death penalty and the defense seeks mandatory life without the possibility of parole. The jury is expected to start deliberating by noon.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency will hold disaster assistance registration for Tropical Harbor Estates residents for damages sustained from Hurricane Milton today from 9:45am to 2:00pm. Others who have not registered for assistance yet are also welcome. A FEMA representative said it will be held at the mobile home community at 27 Rickert Drive in Lake Placid and documents are not required. Online applications are also encouraged. Residents can do so by visiting www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by downloading the FEMA app.
A Florida woman has been found guilty of leaving her boyfriend to die inside of a zipped-up suitcase. Court officials say 47-year-old Sarah Boone was found guilty of murder Friday night in an Orange County courtroom. In 2020, 42-year-old Jorge Torres was found curled up inside the luggage in their apartment near Orlando after he and Boone thought it would be a fun prank during a night of drinking. Boone, however, went to bed and left Torres in the luggage, and found him unresponsive the next morning. Police used footage on Boone’s cellphone to determine that she knew Torres was in distress but ignored his pleas for help. Sentencing is set for December 2nd.
A Central Florida man was recently arrested for felony animal cruelty after investigators found signs of serious neglect and abuse of dogs on a piece of property he rented. Lanoris Parker of Poinciana, reportedly also had an unpermitted landfill. The rental property owner called The Polk County Sheriff’s Office after visiting the rental property in Davenport and finding two deceased dogs in crates and several others in poor health, living in squalor. A total of 9 dogs were found and seized to receive emergency medical treatment. When detectives arrived at Parker’s Poinciana/Kissimmee home to place him under arrest, they found seven more dogs with six confined to crates inside a garage in poor conditions. All seven dogs were seized as well. Parker is facing 15 counts of felony animal cruelty amongst a host of other charges.