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Man Slain; Wife, Daughter Stabbed; Son Arrested

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By JOSH POLTILOVE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 24, 2008

Updated: 07/24/2008 12:33 am

James Kenneth McElroy

TAMPA - A 21-year-old man fatally stabbed his father and seriously wounded his mother and sister at their Plantation area home early Wednesday, deputies said.

Killed was James McElroy, 50. Karen McElroy, 53 and Michelle McElroy, 18, were taken to St. Joseph's Hospital, where they were listed in critical condition.

Another daughter was home at the time but managed to escape the house uninjured, sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said.

Deputies arrested James Kenneth McElroy late Wednesday in the parking lot at Camden Wood Apartments at 6920 W. Hillsborough Ave., about six miles from his home. Earlier in the day, the sheriff's office had issued an arrest warrant for him on one count of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder.

Deputies say they still are trying to piece together a motive.

The stabbing happened at 4:16 a.m. at 11309 Hollyglen Drive. Deputies found James McElroy's body when they went to the home in response to a call for help, said Sgt. Mike Hurley of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

The three victims lived at the home, as did James Kenneth McElroy. The victims suffered "upper-body trauma," Hurley said.

The father and son had a history of violence.

In September 2006, deputies arrested the father and charged him with aggravated battery with great bodily harm. Deputies said McElroy's father struck him in the face. The two fell to the ground and continued to fight.

The son was taken to a hospital with a broken nose and possible broken orbital bone.

The aggravated battery charge was dropped in February 2007 because of insufficient evidence, said state attorney's spokeswoman Pam Bondi, referring to the case file. Bondi said the file shows the mother witnessed the crime and said her husband acted in self-defense because her son struck first.

Deputies had one prior call for service to the family's home this year. On Saturday, there was a call of a disturbance at the home. No report was written.

Deputies arrested James Kenneth McElroy in May on charges of possessing marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, felony fleeing to elude and obstructing or opposing an officer without violence. That case is pending.

Neighbor Hadeel Nabil, 22, said the stabbing victims moved in to the home recently and she did not know them well. She said they seemed quiet and that the neighborhood is a nice place to live.

Craig Balden, the victims' next-door neighbor, said the family had lived in the house for two or three months.

"They seem like pretty good folks, friendly. I've talked to them several times," Balden said Wednesday as a deputy searched his backyard with a police dog.

Researcher Michael Messano contributed to this report. Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 259-7691 or jpoltilove@tampatrib.com.

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