Two More Indicted In Fanning Murder Case

SEBRING - The Highlands County Sheriff's Office announced Friday that a grand jury indicted two more suspects in the Bryan Edward "Red" Fanning arson, kidnapping and murder case, bringing the total number of suspects to four.

The grand jury found there was probable cause to indict Terrence Jerome "TJ" Barnett, 26, of Frostproof and Leeann Parker, 25, of Lake Wales, who were charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, first-degree arson and robbery.

Both Barnett and Parker remained in the Polk County Jail on unrelated methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia possession charges, according to Donna Wood, Polk County sheriff's public information officer.

Releasing new information, Highlands County Sheriff's Lt. John Chess said Friday that Fanning's body was found on Aug. 22, "bound" in his trailer home located at 3301 DeSoto City Road, after DeSoto City volunteer firefighters and sheriff's deputies responded to a fire there.

Sheriff's investigators said Fanning was "hog tied" inside the home. The trailer was set on fire, state fire marshal investigators reported.

A preliminary ruling from the District 10 Medical Examiner's Office revealed Fanning was alive at the time the fire was set. The manner of death was ruled a homicide, according to a press release from the sheriff's office.

It remains unclear if Fanning burned to death or died from smoke inhalation.

He credited all of the officers involved, detectives from Highlands County as well as detectives assigned with the Polk County homicide unit and the Fire Marshal's detectives with helping to put together a case.

He said his detectives worked closely with Polk County detectives.

"They treated us very, very well; they were super," Chess said.

Chess explained that for a while each time they got a lead in finding Barnett and Parker they would be told they just missed them, or they were there 10 hours before.

"(The suspects) were very mobile, but once we found them everything fell into place," Chess said. "Nobody was hiding, it's not that they were dodging you, you just had to find them."

A search warrant was executed at 716 New Hope Street, Auburndale, by the Polk County Sheriff's Office and Highlands County Sheriff's Office detectives. Some of the property that was taken from the bound victim was recovered at this location, a sheriff's press release stated.

"Two of the four persons of interest were located at the apartment during the execution of this search warrant," the release stated. "After interviews with these subjects they admitted to participating in the criminal act which resulted in the death of the victim, the burning of his residence and the burning of his vehicle in Polk County."

Two other suspects were arrested in the case near the end of August.

Brandon William "LB" Johns, 28, of Avon Park, was taken into custody on first-degree murder, kidnapping, arson, grand theft auto and home invasion charges. He remained in the Highlands County Jail on Friday with no bond.

Arthur Melvin Aul III, 36, of Avon Park, was charged with two counts of accessory to home invasion robbery, grand theft of a motor vehicle, accessory to theft of a motor vehicle, and one count of accessory to arson.

He remained in the Highlands County Jail on Friday on $315,000 bail.

Sheriff's detectives continue to work closely with the Office of State Attorney, the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the Polk County Sheriff's Office regarding the case.

Chess said Friday all of the suspects in the case are now in custody.

Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact the Criminal Investigations Unit of the Highlands County Sheriff's Office at (863)-402-7250.