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School Janitor Charged With Beating, Kidnapping

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By Chris Echegaray of The Tampa Tribune and Samara Sodos of News Channel 8

Published: October 16, 2007

Editor's Note: This is a corrected version of a previous story. The Tampa Police Department reopened an investigation into Stanley Telfare last year. A story published online and in today's Tribune was wrong about when the investigation was reopened.

TEMPLE TERRACE - A Blake High School custodian with a history of domestic incidents has been charged with beating and kidnapping his girlfriend, who is a secretary at the school, authorities said.

Stanley Telfare

Stanley Telfare, 48, of 7711 Sumter Court, was arrested and charged with felony battery and aggravated kidnapping stemming from the incident Thursday night, Temple Terrace police spokesman Mike Dunn said.

Elalia Walker, 40, suffered head injuries and was in critical condition Monday at Tampa General Hospital, Dunn said.

A witness called Temple Terrace police on Thursday night and said he saw a man strike a woman at Orange River Estates after an argument, Dunn said. The man forced the woman into a van, Dunn said.

Dunn said Telfare took Walker to her family's home, telling the family she had jumped from the van as it was moving. Walker's family called Tampa police.

"Whether she jumped remains anybody's guess," Dunn said. "The family saw she was seriously injured. But we realized from the call that it was the same guy from the fight."

Dunn said Telfare was arrested at 4 a.m. Friday and was being held – with no bail set at Orient Road Jail.

In 1998, Telfare was involved in an incident that ended in the fatal shooting of his then-girlfriend, Cynthia Howard, 35. Police said then it was an accidental shooting during a struggle over a gun after an argument between Telfare and Howard.

Telfare was a maintenance worker for Tampa police at the time.

Howard's mother, Verdell, 75, still grieves. Her daughter's picture is proudly displayed in her Tampa home.

"She was real nice to me. ... It just really hurts," she said. "I don't like to talk about it. I hope they do put him away so he doesn't hurt anybody else."

Tampa police reopened the case last year when the department formed its cold case unit, department spokeswoman Andrea Davis said.

Telfare was fired two years ago from the police department after he was charged with aggravated battery and kidnapping in another incident. Those charges were dropped, and the Hillsborough County School District hired him as a custodian.

In the job application, Telfare does note the 2005 battery charge and that the charges were dropped.

9/1/98 Previous Coverage: Students, Mom Mourn Nurse's Death

Reporter Chris Echegaray can be reached at cechegaray@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7920.

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