TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

4 Teens, Man Held In Slaying Of Lakeland Bar Owner

From left: Charles Bonfiglio, Tiffanie Hemness, Alexia Pierce, Cody Scarpa and Brock Winkler.

ADVERTISEMENT

By JOSH POLTILOVE and VALERIE KALFRIN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 14, 2008

Updated: 01/13/2008 11:34 pm

LAKELAND - Detectives on Sunday arrested four teenagers and a 21-year-old man in the fatal beating of a Lakeland bar owner that erupted after a fight over a football game, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.

  Richard Oaks

Richard Oaks, 49, who owns the Par 33 Lounge at 4106 Lakeland Hills Blvd., was found dead by his wife shortly after 4 a.m. Sunday in their master bedroom, the sheriff's office said.

Investigators determined a fight between Oaks and another man precipitated the beating and that the other man's daughter and her friends had organized the attack.

Charles Bonfiglio, 21, of Lakeland; Bonfiglio's 17-year-old brother, Cody Scarpa of Lithia; and Brock Winkler, 17, of Lakeland, were arrested on charges of first-degree murder and burglary, according to the sheriff's office.

Their friends Alexia Pierce, 17, and Tiffanie Hemness, 19, both of Lakeland, were arrested on charges of felony accessory to burglary.

Investigators say Oaks got into a dispute at the bar Saturday with a neighbor, Alan Pierce, and hit Pierce on the head with a beer bottle.

While receiving 13 stitches at Lakeland Regional Medical Center, Pierce phoned his daughter, Alexia, who was at home with Bonfiglio, Scarpa and Hemness, authorities say.

While visiting Pierce in the hospital, they ran into another friend, Winkler, who was visiting someone and "vowed to do something" about what had happened to Pierce, authorities said.

Meanwhile, friends drove Oaks home because he had been drinking. Sometime after midnight, while the girls remained outside, Bonfiglio, Scarpa and Winkler ran into Oaks' home and fatally beat him with their fists and an umbrella, the sheriff's office said.

As adults, Bonfiglio and Hemness were to be booked into the Polk County Jail, and the others were to be taken to the Juvenile Assessment Center, officials said.

Investigators said Alan Pierce was not an accessory to the beating and will not be arrested.

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at jpoltilove@tampatrib .com or (813) 259-7691. Reporter Valerie Kalfrin can be reached at (813) 259-7800 or vkalfrin @tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT