Status Hearing Set For Tiller Murder Suspect

A second status hearing was set Thursday for one of the suspects charged with the murder of Samuel Tiller.

Joseph Paul Graham, 19, of 3806 Leeway Court, Sebring, is charged with first-degree murder and armed burglary.

Graham appeared in the Highlands County Courthouse while his attorney, Steve Fisher, communicated through a video teleconference from the Polk County Courthouse in Bartow.

Fisher advised the court and Assistant State Attorney Steve Houchin that nine depositions have been taken and they were not yet ready to set a trial date. Instead, Fisher requested the additional status hearing.

Houchin had no objection and the hearing was set for Jan. 23 at 8:30 a.m.

Graham's charges stem from his connection to the shooting death of Tiller, 82, at his Falcon Avenue home on Nov. 24, 2007.

Arrest reports from the Highlands County Sheriff's Office state that Graham reportedly admitted to investigators that he shot Tiller.

Houchin said Wednesday the state had filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty for Graham.

The two other defendants in the case are Gerald Sanders, of 243 Mandy Circle, Sebring, and Nick Mezie, formerly of Sebring.

In a separate case, a defendant in the Bryan Edward "Red" Fanning arson, kidnapping and murder case also had a second status hearing set on Thursday.

Terrence Jerome "TJ" Barnett, 27, of Frostproof, is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, first-degree arson and robbery.

His next status hearing is set for Dec. 17, while a hearing on a motion to suppress evidence is scheduled for Feb. 4 in Polk County.

Barnett remains in custody in Polk County. He is one of four suspects charged in connection with Fanning's death.

The victim's body was discovered on Aug. 22, 2007, bound in his trailer home located at 3301 DeSoto City Road, after DeSoto City volunteer firefighters and Highlands County sheriff's deputies responded to a fire there.

Fanning was described as being "hog tied" inside the home. Through the investigation, it was determined the victim was alive at the time the fire was set, although it was unclear at the time if he burned to death or died of smoke inhalation.

The three other defendants are Leeann Parker, 26, of Lake Wales, Brandon William "LB" Johns, 29, of Avon Park, and Arthur Melvin Aul III, 37, also of Avon Park.

Brad Dickerson can be reached at (863) 386-5838 or bdickerson@highlandstoday.com