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Highlands Today

TILLER MURDER UPDATE: Details Emerge From Murder Investigation

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By Dan  Fearson | Highlands Today

Published: January 19, 2008

SEBRING — Joseph Paul Graham reportedly admitted to shooting Samuel Tiller, 82, at his Falcon Avenue home on Nov. 24, according to arrest reports provided by the Highlands County Sheriff's Office.

Graham, 18, of 3806 Leeway Court, Sebring, was arrested on Tuesday, along with Gerald Sanders, 18, of 243 Mandy Circle, Sebring, and Nick Mezie, 17, formerly of Sebring, in connection to Tiller's death. All three suspects were charged with first-degree murder.

A representative at Sebring High School confirmed Friday that Graham and Sanders are enrolled as students at the school.

Arrest reports indicate that the trio broke into Tiller's residence around 4 a.m. by breaking a window on the north side of the home. Reports state that one of the suspects used the window opening to gain access to the home, then opened the front door of the residence for the other two suspects.

Reports state that after the suspects gained access to the home, Mezie and Sanders reportedly began to rummage through cabinets, while Graham began rummaging through Tiller's television stand.

Reports state that the suspects startled Tiller, at which time Graham allegedly shot and killed him. The reports state that the suspects left the scene of the shooting without providing any aid or calling for assistance after the shooting took place.

Reports indicate that Graham reportedly admitted twice to investigators to shooting Tiller. They also indicate that a fingerprint was lifted from a bed headboard, which came back as a positive match to Sanders.

In a recorded conversation with investigators, Mezie reportedly admitted to participating in the planning of the burglary, his involvement in the actual burglary and parking Graham's car during the crime.

"We have our suspicions that the suspects did not expect (Tiller) to be home when they burglarized the residence," said Sheriff Susan Benton on Thursday. "We suspect that they were caught off guard."

"With the amount of other major crimes that have occurred during the past three months, apprehending suspects in this murder was a total team effort," said Benton. "It was one of our top priorities."

Benton said that Det. Pete Barone led detectives at the sheriff's office who processed the Tiller crime scene and investigated leads.

All of the suspects are being held without bond.

An official with the sheriff's office said that Mezie is being held in West Palm Beach, although a spokeswoman with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said they could not release information pertaining to Mezie because he is a minor.

Records at the Highlands County Courthouse indicate that Graham entered a no contest plea to a misdemeanor battery charge on Dec. 13, 2007, three weeks after Tiller's murder, for an incident that took place in October. Court records also indicate that Graham was placed on probation last Thursday as a result of his plea.

Graham's arrest reports state that he was born in Rugby, England, and that he has United Kingdom citizenship.

Tiller's wife reportedly called 911 when she reported hearing a gunshot and a heard a door close. She thought her husband had been shot.

The District 10 Medical Examiner's Office confirmed that Tiller died as a result of a gunshot wound.

On Friday, detectives said they couldn't release any information pertaining to a firearm used during
the shooting.

An official with the sheriff's office said that Sanders and Graham will make their first court appearances at 9 a.m. on Feb. 25 in the Highlands County Courthouse. Because Mezie is being held in Palm Beach. His first court appearance has not been set.

A press release issued on Thursday by the sheriff's office had Mezie's name spelled incorrectly, which was used for an article in Friday's Highlands Today.

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