Body Found Duct Taped to Tire in Water, FL
Submerged Body Found Duct Taped To Tire Near Boat Ramp POSTED: 12:48 pm EDT August 29, 2006 ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- A man walking near an Orange County church saw a body submerged near a boat ramp and deputies were calling the death suspicious. A passerby discovered the man's body just after nine Tuesday morning near the First Baptist Church at Orange Avenue and Hoffner Street. The witness said the body was ducted taped to a tire in the water. Orange County sheriff's deputies were on the scene Tuesday and were trying to determine how the man died and who he is. http://www.wftv.com/news/9755557/detail.html

Body found floating in Lake Conway Henry Pierson Curtis | Sentinel Staff Writer Posted August 29, 2006, 12:16 PM EDT A body found floating in Lake Conway is being investigated as a homicide by the Orange County Sherriff's office. The body was found about 9 a.m. today in the water at the Randolph Street boat ramp off Hoffner Avenue. The body was found floating several feet from the end of the brown pier by a passer-by. Floating in the water nearby was duct tape and a tire. Homicide investigator Mark Hussey suspects the victim died violently, according to spokesman Jim Solomons. At noon, deputies continued to guard an extensive crime scene, stretching from Birr Court, more than one block to Foy Street, which completely encloses the First Bapitst Church of Pine Castle. The church grounds are next to the fenced-in public boat ramp to Lake Conway. The ramp is popular and is used by hundred of boaters and picnickers on weekends, according to neighbors waiting outside the crime scene tapes and watching the collection of evidence. The body remained in the water at noon while divers from the underwater search and rescue team searched the bottom of the popular bass fishing lake for clues to the crime. Anyone with information is asked to call Crimeline at 407-423-8477. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orange/orl-bk-body082906,0,4300139.story?track=rss

Sketch Released Of Murdered Man Found At Boat Ramp POSTED: 6:14 pm EDT August 30, 2006 UPDATED: 6:59 pm EDT August 30, 2006 ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- A sketch was released Wednesday of a man whose body was found at a boat ramp on Little Lake Conway in Orange County. Orange County deputies are hoping the public can help identify the murder victim. The victim was in his mid 30s to early 40s with dark hair and eyes. Some families who live near the ramp said the place is a magnet for crime. The sign at the ramp says the Randolph boat ramp is open sunrise to sunset. But, in reality, it's just the small park it's in that closes. The ramp and the dock are open 24-7. "The problem is, it's turned into a park of crime," said Phillip Garris, who lives next to the ramp. Garris has grown to hate the problems he says it draws. "We've found needles in our yard. We've found condoms in our yard. One person exposed himself in front of my wife," Garris said. Deputies have been out to the ramp more than 30 times since May. Most troubling to families was Tuesday's discovery of a body at the ramp. The man had been duct-taped to a tire. "I believe it is probably because it is open 24 hours a day. It is open at night. It is virtually unsupervised," Garris said. Only three docks are open all night in Orange County. Eight other docks, like Fern Creek, have gates and locks and are closed each night at sunset. Orange County Parks and Recreation said Randolph has always been kept open since it is used by fisherman at odd hours. And, at a community meeting, families voted to keep the non-stop hours. Garris said the body was a sign it's time to rethink that decision. Wednesday afternoon, Orange County Commission Linda Stewart told Channel 9 she wants to take another look at closing the dock. Next month, the whole commission should discuss the matter. http://www.wftv.com/news/9765273/detail.html

Sketch Released In 'Mafia-Style' Murder POSTED: 12:18 am EDT August 31, 2006 UPDATED: 11:16 am EDT August 31, 2006 Authorities in Orange County, Fla., released a sketch of a man who was found duct-taped and strapped to a tire in a lake, according to Local 6 News. "This was a mysterious mafia-style murder ," Local 6's Louis Bolden said. "And frankly, police are still puzzled at what to do." Investigators said a fisherman found the body Tuesday near a pier at the Randolph boat ramp at Little Lake Conway. "He just found a trailer tire floating in the water and there was a body duct-taped to it," a resident said. "Not only was the victim's body found duct-taped to a tire but sources told Local 6 that the man had been shot, in the back and in the head, before being dumped," Bolden said. "That is why this thing is kind of a provocative case," Orange County Sheriff's spokesman Jim Solomons said. Detectives said the victim was a white man between 30 and 40 years old with black hair and brown eyes. A neighbor where the body was found said they have seen a recent increase in crime in the area. Anyone with information concerning the discovery is urged to call Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS. http://www.local6.com/news/9766702/detail.html

Man died violently, police say Amy C. Rippel | Sentinel Staff Writer Posted August 31, 2006 Investigators continued their search Wednesday for the identity of a man found dead in an Orange County lake, the Sheriff's Office said. The man was found Tuesday morning in Lake Conway, near a popular public boat ramp used by hundreds of boaters each weekend. He is described as white and in his mid-30s to mid-40s. He has black hair, brown eyes and a medium complexion. Investigators continued to comb the popular bass-fishing lake for clues in the man's death. The cause of death was not being released, but detectives said the victim died violently. The body was spotted in the lake about 9 a.m Tuesday at the Randolph Street boat ramp off Hoffner Avenue. Duct tape and a tire were floating nearby, but authorities would not comment on whether the items were linked to the death. Anyone with information in the case is asked to call Crimeline at 407-423-8477. Amy C. Rippel can be reached at arippel@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5736. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orange/orl-bodyfound3106aug31,0,5580031.story?coll=orl-home-headlines

Man Found Duct-Taped, Strapped To Tire In Central Fla. Lake Identified Wed Sep 6, 3:09 PM ET Authorities in Orange County, Fla., have identified a man who was found duct-taped and strapped to a tire in a lake last month, according to a sheriff's report. A fisherman found the body of Vladimir Ferras near a pier at the Randolph boat ramp at Little Lake Conway in August. "This was a mysterious mafia-style murder," Local 6's Louis Bolden reported. "Not only was the victim's body found duct-taped to a tire, but sources told Local 6 that the man had been shot, in the back and in the head, before being dumped." "He just found a trailer tire floating in the water, and there was a body duct-taped to it," a resident said in an earlier report. Wednesday's police report said Ferras was known to frequent night clubs in the area. His 2006 Toyota Prius was located off of Forsyth Road, but the vehicle's front driver-side tire was replaced with a spare tire. Anyone with information concerning the case or Ferras' car is urged to call Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS. Watch Local 6 News for more on this story. http://news.yahoo.com/s/wkmg/20060906/lo_wkmg/9798038

Police Searching For Person Of Interest In 2006 Killing POSTED: 5:34 pm EST January 29, 2007 ORLANDO, Fla. -- Orange County deputies released a picture of a man they want to talk to about a strange murder; the murder of Vladimir Ferras. The man was caught on surveillance video trying to use Ferras's credit card at an Orlando Wal-Mart. Farris was found dead last August, duct- taped to a tire near a boat ramp in Pine Castle. Police said the tire was taken from his own car. Investigators said it could have been a carjacking or even a hate crime. “I don't know if it was a carjacking, but if was a hate crime, I don't know how the suspect knew he was gay," said an investigator. Police don't believe Ferras knew his killer. The victim's car was found a few days after his body was discovered. The car had been set on fire. http://www.wftv.com/news/10872715/detail.html