News Cast for December 10th:
Prosecutors earn conviction in grave theft case
A 38 year old Okeechobee man pled no contest to seven felony charges for stealing as many as 195 items from gravesites in Evergreen Cemetery earlier this year.
Mark Smith was sentenced to 120 days in jail, two years on probation, and $1,185 in court costs.
The investigation began in June when seven people reported items had been taken off the graves of loved ones.
A cemetery worker remembered seeing a suspicious person and vehicle in the cemetery.
The worker reported seeing Smith possibly taking items from graves on June 3 and 4th. He gave a good description of the man and of his vehicle, a blue Toyota Tacoma with a broken windshield.
When deputies went to his residence nearby, they noticed the items in plain site. They included various figurines, crosses and statues. Later items were located in a shed and in his bedroom.
Prosecutor Ashley Albright said Smith wanted to bless these items and then return them.
“It was a very unique case. Everyone who came forward has received their items back. The sheriffs office still has possession of some items that were clearly taken from gravesites but no one has come forward to claim those yet.”
Smith has been deemed competent by a mental health examination. He will still have a case before the Okeechobee Mental Health Court.
Veterans from around the state are expected to attend a dedication ceremony for the new Medal of Honor Park in Sebring on Thursday.
The special ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m Thursday.
The Memorial, gardens and visitor center will help to honor the brave 24 Medal of Honor recipients from the state of Florida.
It will also preserve and present the extraordinary stories of these Floridians who received the highest level of recognition in service to the nation.
It is located at 442 South Eucalyptus Street.
Highlands County Commissioners approved the purchase of $500,000 worth of body worn cameras for deputies. They also confirmed the appointment of Jennifer Hood as administrator of the department of health.
Okeechobee is watching closely a decision in Broward County on whether they approve a 24 acre expansion of the Monarch Hill landfill. If they don’t it will likely mean Waste Management will haul the garbage to Okeechobee.
Broward Commissioners voted to delay action on the expansion until Jan. 28. The Solid Waste Authority is working on a new master plan and that is expected to be ready in early 2025.
The county also has a waste to energy plant that power 9,000 homes each day.
Both Coconut Creek and Deerfield Beach City Council have opposed the expansion. Coconut Creek voted to turn down an offer from Waste Management of $2.5 million over five years, and another $10 million if they ever apply to expand the landfill again.
The county also has offered to restart its trash compacting unit and send more trash to Okeechobee.
An Okeechobee man was held on $1 million bond facing a charge of attempted first-degree murder.
Robert Futch, 24, is accused of firing shots aimed at killing Jatravian Kelly on Nov. 2 near NE 13th Avenue in Douglas Park.
Okeechobee Sheriff Deputies said Kelly and a second person were shot and injured after a heated argument.
Both were taken to Lawnwood Regional Medical Center and survived the wounds.
The sentence hearing of Zephen Xaver is scheduled for Dec. 16.
Testimony wrapped up in Spencer Hearings in the Xaver case last week before Highlands County Circuit Court Judge Angela Cowden.
The jury has recommended Xaver be sentenced to death for murdering five women inside the Sebring SunTrust Bank in May, 2019. Included was Okeechobee resident Ana Pinon Williams.
A motorcycle accident on US 98 claimed the life of a 60 year old Sebring man on Monday.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the motorcycle was headed east bound on US 98 approaching Afton Road when a pickup driven by a 73-year-old Sebring man stopped at the stop sign, tried to pull out and make a left turn onto US 98.
A 58-year-old female riding the motorcycle suffered serious injury.