Posted on 02/13/2017 4:42:19 PM PST by digger48
WINTER HAVEN, FL (WFLA) – Two Florida teens are facing first-degree murder charges in connection with the disturbing murder of a man that detectives say happened during a sexual encounter.
Donald Merkley, 67, was found dead in his house on Jan. 11, after a fire at his home.
Detectives initially believed the fire was caused by a small electric heater, and ruled it accidental.
But, when one of the teens came forward with details about what happened, the fire turned into a murder investigation.
Detectives say Byron Lasiak, 16, of Winter Haven told them that he and Jerry Johnsey, 18, of Auburndale went to Merkley’s home around 4pm on Jan. 10 to have sex with Merkley.
Detectives say that Johnsey told them he put Merkley in a choke hold during the sexual encounter. Merkley passed out and then Johnsey hit him in the head with a baseball bat.
The teens then rummaged through Merkley’s house until they found some gas and poured the gas throughout the home and on Merkley. Johnsey took $2.75 off the kitchen counter as the teens left the home.
Detectives say around 10am the next day, Johnsey returned to the home and went inside. He poured more gas on Merkley’s body and throughout the home. Johnsey then lit a match.
Johnsey told detectives that after he set the fire, he called Lasiak and said, “Don’t worry about it. I just torched the place.”
Johnsey later told detectives that he met Merkley on Craigslist and had planned to rob him while at his house.
Johnsey and Lasiak were charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery with a weapon. Johnsey also faces an arson charge.
Neighbors of the victim are in shock over the news. “John was a very friendly guy. He was always talking to people and he would go out of his way for others. Then there was the other side of John that we didn’t know, obviously,” Ron Towns said. “Life is more valuable than just to kill someone. It’s a shame the way it ended.”
A family friend of Lasiak says told News Channel 8 that he is innocent. “He’s innocent. We’ve known him for years. He’s not that kind a kid, he was just at the wrong place the wrong time. They are framing him and making him say things that aren’t true” Nicole Rustin said.
The depravity of people is overwhelmingly sad...how much must God’s heart hurt...
What about the dead man?
That included...the whole situation....
Crazy that, with a hit from a ballbat and all that gaoline, the ould come to the conclusion it was started by a small heater. Fire the investigators.
Not so obviously. The only version of events presented so far is from one of "John's" self-confessed murderers.
> Fire the investigators.
Yeah, if they can’t identify an accellerant like gasoline in a house fire, they aren’t very good.
Who is “John” anyway? The top of the article says the victim was “Donald”...
And the fire investigators, or was it the coroner, determined it was caused by the fire?
I would say someone needs to be replaced it would seem.
He’s dead. No one cares now. The focus is now on getting the hoodlums back on the street. Unless the Craig’s List link can be proven. The part about him and them having sex is bogus also. The man is dead, he cannot defend himself.
Gee, I hope they didn't spend that all in one place.
Ain’t that the truth. They couldn’t spot use of accelerants until someone confessed?
Teenagers went to a 67-year-old man’s house to have sex with him? I wonder if they are gay.
It could be just a story they made up. The guy is dead and cannot refute the accusation. Perhaps they were out looking for someone to rob and blundered into him.If you looked at their pictures up page, they do not appear to be normal.
They are not the best and the brightest. That you can take to the bank. And probably political appointees to boot.
Crazy that, with a hit from a ballbat and all that gaoline, the ould come to the conclusion it was started by a small heater. Fire the investigators.
= = =
After a few of those movies where the arsonist is a fireman, it makes me wonder how much the investigators may be covering for them, just in case.
Add in some studies about arson and fire science not being so conclusive as we have been told ...
“Crazy that, with a hit from a ballbat and all that gaoline, the ould come to the conclusion it was started by a small heater. Fire the investigators.”
Maybe not so much inept as corrupt. It wouldn’t surprise me that authorities in various jurisdictions are cooking the books to conceal crime stats.
Hmmmm...re-reading the article, I am not sure. Had made the mental jump that he was the victim. Now that you have brought me up short, I’m thinking “John” is “Johnsey”, the other teenager.
There’s more to this story. But I made a mistake. Thanks for drawing my attention to it!
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