TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Hunt For Shooting Suspect Escalates

ADVERTISEMENT

By LISA A. DAVIS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 22, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - Luc Pierre-Charles Jr. can run, but he can't hide forever.

That's the message officials from the Pasco County Sheriff's Office and U.S. Marshals Service conveyed Thursday morning when announcing that the 20-year-old has been added to the U.S. Marshals' 15 Most Wanted List.

"Today begins an intensive search for Luc Pierre-Charles," Pasco Sheriff Bob White said. "He will be tracked down and he will be brought to justice."

Pierre-Charles is one of two men accused of gunning down two teenagers on Harris Hill Road in Trilby two years ago. A man on his way to work discovered the bodies of Derek James Pieper, 17, and Raymond Alphonse Veluz, 18, about 6 a.m. July 28, 2006. About an hour earlier, the man's wife had heard what she thought were firecrackers.

Last month, just a couple of days before the two-year anniversary of the teens' deaths, Pasco Detective Lisa Schoneman secured enough evidence to persuade a judge to sign first-degree murder arrest warrants for Pierre-Charles and Tyree Jenkins, 22.

Jenkins was arrested in Hillsborough County before Schoneman could even drive from the Land O' Lakes Jail back to her New Port Richey office.

Pierre-Charles, who escaped from Pasco deputies during a traffic stop in May after they discovered his Polk County arrest warrants, remains on the run.

"He should be considered armed and dangerous," White said Thursday.

Adding Pierre-Charles to the most-wanted list will give the case more exposure and opens the possibility of spots on nationally syndicated television shows. A $25,000 reward is being offered for information directly leading to the arrest of Pierre-Charles.

Pete Cajigal, assistant chief for the U.S. Marshals Service Middle District of Florida, said law enforcement agencies worldwide will have access to Pierre-Charles' information. He was added to the list because of the nature and details of the crime warrants, Cajigal said.

Pieper started hanging out with Pierre-Charles and some other people, then became fearful when he realized they were involved in drug dealing and carrying weapons, authorities say.

The Wesley Chapel High School lacrosse player tried to distance himself from Pierre-Charles and, about a week before he was killed, ran into him at a Walgreens.

Pierre-Charles, according to Schoneman, thought Pieper had tipped off a rival drug dealer that he was after him. When the teen ran into Pierre-Charles, he was warned.

"I know where you live," Schoneman said Pierre-Charles told Pieper.

A week later, Pieper was at a party when Veluz said he wanted to buy some marijuana, Schoneman said, and after having no luck elsewhere Pieper called Pierre-Charles and arranged to meet him.

He and Veluz left the party and that was the last time friends saw them alive.

Pieper's mother and stepfather, Susan and Steven Wood, sat quietly in the back of a conference room at the sheriff's office while officials made the announcement Thursday.

It gives them hope, they said, that the second man who may have killed their son will be caught.

"With his background we just don't want any other family to go through what we've been through," Susan Wood said, then looked at his photograph on the most wanted poster.

"He looks evil - the look in his eyes."

Steven Wood, who raised Pieper from the time he was a toddler, said he had faith justice would be served.

"We knew from the beginning the Lord was going to take care of us," he said.

The couple still don't like to talk much about what happened to their son and what's been going on since his death, but they hinted at the difficulties they have endured.

"His room is still the same because I can't pack it up," Susan Wood said. "His friends still go in and sit.

"He was a blessing."

Anyone with information about Pierre-Charles may call the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102.

Reporter Lisa A. Davis can be reached at (727) 815-1083 or ldavis@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT