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2 Charged In Connection With Deadly Burglary

Photo provided by SARASOTA HERALD-TRIBUNE

Janice Fore, 74, was found dead at her home Wednesday in Bradenton.

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By NEIL JOHNSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 25, 2008

Manatee County detectives arrested two men late Saturday night in connection with a burglary that turned deadly last week for a 74-year-old woman.

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office said Marcos Herrera and Otis Mack, both 20 and from Bradenton, were charged with burglary and are being held without bond in the Manatee County Jail.

Otis Mack

They have not been charged with murder in the death of Janice Fore on Wednesday, who was found on her bed bound with duct tape over her mouth and around her legs. Her hands and arms were also bound behind her back with duct tape, the sheriff's office said.

She turned 74 and celebrated with neighbors the day before deputies found her body about 5:40 a.m. in her home at 1208 67th St. N.W., Bradenton.

The sheriff's office found a fingerprint from Herrera on a computer printer in Fore's house as well as on her car, which was stolen. Detectives said they found a print from Otis on a roll of duct tape inside the house.

Marcos Herrera

Detectives do not know how the men got inside the house, but said Herrera rented a room across the street about 15 months ago before the landlordkicked him out. Herrera returned to the rented room for a short stint about a month later before again being kicked out by the neighbor.

The sheriff's office said about six weeks ago Herrera returned and knocked on Fore's door before being told to leave by the neighbor.

Investigators believe the two men entered the house between midnight and 6 a.m., according to the warrant. Neighbors hosted a birthday party for Fore and she left about midnight, Tuesday.

Detectives said Fore's computer and monitor were stolen along with her purse and a box containing financial records. The empty purse was found a few blocks away and the box with her records was discovered about a mile and a half from her house.

Fore's green Volkswagon was also stolen and found in the 2400 block of Manatee Avenue East.

Surveillance video from the store where the car was found show it pulling in at 6:47 a.m. A white man got out of the driver side and black man got out of the car's passenger side and wiped down the door.

Contact reporter Neil Johnson at (813) 259-7731 or njohnson@tampatrib.com.

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