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Highlands Today

Peddlers Reported In Murder Neighborhood

REVERSE 911 CALLS GO OUT NOTIFYING PUBLIC

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By Joe  Seelig | Highlands Today

Published: November 26, 2007

A single white sign in the front yard Monday of 1610 Falcon Ave., in Sebring Country Estates, designated the somewhat secluded house as a crime scene.

Investigators with the Highlands County Sheriff's Office continued to follow leads in the murder Saturday morning of resident Samuel Tiller. The 82-year-old Tiller was shot dead inside his home.

Tiller's frantic wife called 911 when she reported hearing a gunshot and a heard a door close at about 2:58 a.m. Saturday. She thought her husband had been shot.

The District 10 Medical Examiner's Office confirmed Sunday, following an autopsy, that Tiller was killed as the result of a gunshot.

However, who could do such a thing remained a mystery.

"As of Monday morning, detectives continue to follow numerous leads in an attempt to find the person or persons responsible for this deliberate act of violence," Sheriff Susan Benton wrote in a news release.

"During their Monday morning briefing on the case, detectives learned that a few residents in the area reportedly had suspicious persons trying to sell products door to door in the area over the last week or so."

They were trying to sell something to clean the air, said Sheriff's Lt. John Chess.

They may have been trying to scope out the area, or they may have been legitimate, he said.

Anyone who may have had such vendors at their door is asked to call sheriff's detectives and provide whatever details they can recall.

The Highlands County Sheriff's Office staff will be sending out reverse 911 calls to the neighborhoods around Falcon Avenue seeking any information on suspicious activity in the area.

Chess said Monday that detectives have checked out alibis of three individuals who had been arrested in connection with a burglary and aggravated battery incident involving Tiller in 2000.

"It appears at this point that they were not involved," Chess said. "One is out of state, one lives out of the county and only one is in this county."

The authorities are still checking some details, though, he said.

"As detectives continue to follow leads, we ask that the community stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the Sheriff's Office at 402-7200," the news release stated.

Those who have any specific information on the homicide and wish to remain anonymous, should call Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-888-226-TIPS. They could be eligible for a reward.

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