Tampa Police have arrested 57-year-old Eddy Caron (black male, 7/23/1967) in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 52-year-old white male that occurred on June 12th, 2024, near the intersection of N. 15th St. and E. Hillsborough Ave.
"We hope that this arrest will provide some closure for the family of the victim," said Chief Lee Bercaw. "This successful investigation is a testament to the outstanding work of our detectives who pieced together the evidence, identified the suspect, and quickly took him into custody."
The victim was found deceased with multiple stab wounds to the upper body. Witness statements and video surveillance footage from a nearby convenience store played a crucial role in identifying the suspect.
A witness walking through the Wendy's parking lot reported seeing the victim alive and the suspect, described as an older black male with a thin build and white stubble beard, shortly before the attack. Another witness observed the suspect fleeing the scene on a distinctive bicycle with deer antlers attached to the handlebars.
Surveillance footage captured the suspect entering the nearby 2K convenience store, purchasing a can of beer, and then entering the fenced area behind the Wendy's restaurant, where the victim was later found. The suspect quickly exited the area after the attack and rode away on his bicycle.
A beer can with the suspect's DNA was recovered near the crime scene, and further investigation linked the suspect to a previous trespassing incident where his backpack and bicycle were documented. Both the backpack and bicycle matched the descriptions from the witnesses and surveillance footage.
Caron was arrested on Saturday, June 22, 2024, at his home in the 4100 block of 10th Ave. He was transported to Hillsborough County Jail and charged with First Degree Murder.