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Authorities Searching For Clues In Death of 93-Year-Old

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By NATALIE SHEPHERD | News Channel 8

Published: January 2, 2009

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• Few Leads In Case

Walter Farley

LAKELAND - Walter Farley was 93, but friends describe him as active and involved in the community.

"He was really sharp. Nothing got past him," remembers Pastor Jeff Smith.

Farley loved ham radio, and Morse code. He volunteered at the library in Auburndale and was active in the Kathleen Historical Society.

He also attended Kathleen United Methodist Church nearly every Sunday.

"The last Sunday that I saw him, which was last Sunday, I shook his hand and gave him a hug and wished him a happy new year," Smith said.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office believes Farley never saw the new year.

Someone shot him to death during a struggle at his home on Indian Heights Drive on New Year's Eve.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Farley was shot multiple times.

" There's no mistake that whoever went in that residence wanted to make sure he was dead," said Judd. "If you took the homicide aspect away from this, it would look like a garden-variety burglary."

The sheriff's office said several items were stolen from the home but is not releasing information on what was taken.

Investigators have few leads to go on.

They believe the murder happened before midnight. Farley's son and daughter-in-law left the house at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday night to celebrate the New Year in Plant City. They returned home at 9:15 a.m. the next day and found Farley inside.

Sheriff Judd doesn't think Farley was targeted.

"We don't know that he wasn't, but we have no reason to believe that he was."

Pastor Smith can't imagine anyone who'd want to hurt Farley.

"He was a very gentle man, a caring man. The people in the neighborhood loved him."

Investigators are asking anyone with information on the case to call the Polk County Sheriff's Office or Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS.

Natalie Shepherd can be reached at (813) 225-2703 or at nshepherd@wfla.com.

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