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Teen charged as adult in show-off slaying held without bail

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The body of Thomas Johannesen was found in his apartment Sept. 12 after his father called police to check on him. He is survived by his wife and 5-year-old son.

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TBO.com

Published: September 29, 2009

Updated: 09/29/2009 12:07 pm

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Amer Ejak

Christopher Cox

TAMPA - A 16-year-old accused of killing a Tampa man and then showing off the body to others will be held without bail.

Amer Ejak, who was moved from the juvenile detention center to Orient Road Jail on Monday night, will be tried as an adult on first-degree murder charges.

In court today, Hillsborough County Judge Walter Heinrich said Ejak should remain behind bars without bail.

"I do not know the facts and circumstances since this is an indictment by the grand jury so I cannot tell you today if this is a death sentence case or not," Heinrich said.

Ejak and 22-year-old Christopher Cox are accused of killing Thomas Johannesen at his unit in the Oak Ramble Apartment complex on Sept. 10 or 11.

Deputies said Ejak and Cox took the victim's cell phone, house keys and Adidas sneakers, and later showed off the body to friends.

Johannesen's body was found in his apartment Sept. 12 after his father called authorities to check on him.

Cox told Ejak to hit Johannesen on the head with a whiskey bottle, and the men put a plastic bag over Johannesen's head and tied a belt around his neck, deputies said. After Johannesen died, the men tried to cover the body with clothes in a closet, deputies said.

Investigators focused on Ejak and Cox after the suspects asked two people whether they had ever seen a dead body and took them to Johannesen's apartment, deputies said.

Court documents also show that maintenance workers with the apartment complex found Johannesen's wallet in the complex and checked Johannesen's apartment several times before locating his body in the closet and notifying the sheriff's office.

The search warrant affidavit, obtained by TBO.com, reveals some of the evidence prosecutors have collected. Deputies seized several plastic bags, seven bottles of Jim Beam whiskey, duct tape, rope, plastic handcuffs, various linens, trace fibers and pieces of furniture. The search warrant also revealed that when deputies arrived the body was in the closet, covered with items from inside the closet and was in a state of rigor mortis. The body had what appeared to be blood around the head. Investigators found a bloody print in the apartment and other blood evidence.

Reached by phone today, Johannesen's father said he had no comment.

Johannesen, 34, is survived by his wife and 5-year-old son.

Cox also is being held without bail.

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