Grand Jury Indicts 3 On Murder Charges

LAKE PLACID - Two Lake Placid men remained in the Highlands County Jail without bond Tuesday, after a grand jury was convened and came back with indictments for first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder of two Lake Placid men.

Andrew John Kalinowski, 21, of 917 Lake June Road, Lake Placid, and Shane Ryan Fannin, 21, of 12075 Payne Road, Sebring, were indicted Monday in connection with the murder of Walter Enrique Vilchez and attempted murder of Jose Franklin Escalante at 242 Phoenix Ave., in Lake Placid.

Kalinowski was arrested on June 7 by detectives of the Highlands County Sheriff's Office. Fannin, who reportedly supplied the gun and acted as the driver for Kalinowski, was arrested on June 18.
Each victim had been shot once in the face, according to sheriff's records.

The incident began with a fight with several men involving Kalinowski and Fannin at the Hideaway Lounge parking lot late on June 6, according to Kalinowski's arrest report.

Kalinowski suffered injuries in the fight and became angry.

Both men then drove to a neighborhood where Kalinowski believed the men lived.

Fannin told investigators he drove his vehicle while Kalinowski directed him. As they approached Phoenix Avenue and Magnolia Avenue, they reportedly saw two individuals who had been involved in the fight.

Kalinowski got Fannin's gun from a console and jumped out of the car.

He approached the two victims while they sat on the porch.

Fannin told investigators he began to drive away intending to leave Kalinowski when he heard gunshots and saw Kalinowski running after his vehicle.

Fannin told detectives he stopped and let Kalinowski in, then left with intentions of driving Kalinowski home. They were stopped by a Highlands County Sheriff's deputy on Lake June Road, the report stated.

It remains unclear what started the fight.

The men are scheduled to be arraigned on July 24.