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Man, 93, Shot Dead At Home

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TBO.com

The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 3, 2009

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 attended Kathleen United Methodist Church nearly every Sunday.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office thinks someone shot Farley 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," Judd said. "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.

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.

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.

Husband Accused Of Domestic Battery
Eroy Hagens Jr. had been drinking when he came home early Friday and got into an argument with his wife, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. He shoved and choked her and shoved a 15-year-old boy who tried to intervene, sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said. He also shouted that he was going to kill her, she said.

Deputies arrested Hagens, 36, of Riverview, about 1:20 a.m. Friday and charged him with attempted murder, domestic battery and battery. Hagen was being held Friday at Orient Road Jail. No bail had been set.

Power Turn-On Ignites Items Left On Stove

ST. PETERSBURG - A person moving in to a house left items on a stove that ignited Friday morning when Progress Energy Corp. turned on the electricity, causing a fire, St. Petersburg fire officials said. The house, at 2532 Fourth Ave. S., was unoccupied at the time of the 10:20 a.m. blaze, Lt. Joel Granata of St. Petersburg Fire and Rescue said.

Firefighters had to force the front door open to ensure no one was inside, Granata said. The flames were confined to the kitchen, and the fire was under control in 12 minutes.

A staff report

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