Bartow 'group home' where man was murdered was not licensed by state, being shut down
The Brief
The 'group home' where an 81-year-old man was murdered a little more than a week ago is in the process of being shut down.
The city discovered the renter was operating the home on Blue Bird Avenue illegally and without a license by the state.
The 81-year-old suffered a violent death and was stabbed more than 100 times while he slept by his roommate, who confessed to killing him after just moving into the home.
BARTOW, Fla. - The 'group home' where an 81-year-old man was murdered a little more than a week ago is in the process of being shut down. The city discovered the renter, Eddrena Thornton, was operating the home on Blue Bird Avenue illegally and without a license by the state.
The backstory
According to the Polk County Sherriff's Office, Patrick Benway, 81, suffered a violent death and was stabbed more than 100 times while he slept. His 19-year-old roommate, Moses Ojeda, confessed to killing him after just moving into the home.
RELATED: Troubled teen stabs man 113 times at Bartow group home saying 'voices in my head told me to': PCSO
Ojeda has been Baker Acted six times this year, according to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.
"Moses said the person he stabbed and killed was a good person," Judd said. "He was just told he heard sounds, voices in his head to kill the victim."
Dig deeper
"[Thornton] explained to me that it was an independent living facility where the residents lived as a community versus being cared for at an adult care facility," said Trey Towles, the director of Code Compliance and Neighborhood Services.
Follow FOX 13 on YouTube
Thorton admitted the four or five residents living there would come from hospitals, state agencies, and would be referred by private mental health care entities. She was also charging the residents rent.
The actual owner of the house, a real estate investment company based in Texas, had no idea Thornton was using the home illegally and is in the process of evicting her.
"It's my understanding, based on my conversation with her, she did know he had mental health issues and that he was on medication for mental health, but she felt at that time it wouldn't endanger residents staying at that location," said Towles.
What they're saying
Towles said Ojeda had been referred to Thornton by a mental health organization and his mother made payment arrangements for him to stay at the house for at least a month.
CRIME: Auburndale's director of public utilities arrested for animal abuse after Great Dane found emaciated
"His mother told them you have to hide the knives," said Judd.
"[Thornton] was a little unprepared for that statement. However, at the time, it wasn't enough for her to deny him access to the home," said Towles.
"In my estimation he was a ticking time bomb," said the sheriff.
What's next
The city's case is currently open, and it will remain in a pending status until there's evidence the illegal group home is fully closed down. Thornton does operate and live at an adult family care home in the same neighborhood, which is properly licensed.
There is no criminal investigation involving Thornton currently, but FOX 13 has reached out to the State Attorney General's office to see if they've opened an investigation.
The Source
The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13's Carla Bayron.
WATCH FOX 13 NEWS:
STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA:
Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV
Download FOX Local mobile app:Apple |Android
Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines
Download the SkyTower Radar app
Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
A Man Allegedly Claimed His 'Severely Emaciated' Great Dane Was a 'Picky Eater.' Cops Say She's 'Grateful to Eat' After Rescue
Stella the Great Dane was rescued from an alleged animal cruelty situation in Florida on May 27, along with another dog At around 60 lbs. (about half of her recommended weight), Stella was "severely emaciated," crawling with fleas and visibly injured, but has since started to recover Stella's owner, Bradford Thomas, allegedly claimed she was a "picky eater," but deputies found that she ate plenty after her rescueWhen a Florida sheriff's office took custody of Stella the Great Dane, she was half her recommended weight and crawling with fleas. Now, she's 'eating like a champ.' The Polk County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) gained custody of Stella and another dog — a female terrier mix named Bella — from Bradford Thomas, who was arrested and charged with animal cruelty on suspicion of neglecting to care for them on May 27, according to a news release. Deputies with the PCSO made the visit after receiving word of a dog who 'was starving and in poor condition,' from the Auburndale Police Department, the press release states. Upon arrival, Thomas voluntarily surrendered the dogs, and they were both brought to the PCSO's Animal Control facility for treatment. When she was found, Bella, estimated to be around age 18 to 20, was allegedly suffering from severe flea dermatitis on her back, as well as hair loss. Meanwhile, Stella's condition worried deputies even more. The spotted gray Great Dane, estimated to be 8½ years old, 'appeared to be in severe pain,' according to the sheriff's office. She 'was severely emaciated, had multiple abrasions and scabs, was covered with fleas, and was suffering from severe pododermatitis (also known as bumblefoot) on all four paws," the PCSO said. A veterinary examination later revealed that she weighed just around 60 lbs. — about half of what she should weigh at her age and size, according to the PCSO. The last time she received veterinary care was in 2020, and at that time she weighed just 90 lbs. Stella's Body Condition Score — a tool used to determine if a dog is underweight — was an abysmal 1 out of 9, the vet staff determined. Thomas's 'excuse' for Stella's weight 'was that she was a picky eater' and 'didn't like to eat,' Deputy Jacob Durrance alleged in a May 29 update on the PCSO's Facebook page. Durrance strongly disagrees with this assessment. 'We fed her ourselves, and she was very grateful to eat. She ate a lot,' he said in the update video, adding that the pup 'was not a picky eater at all, like Mr. Thomas claimed she was.' In the two days following her rescue, Stella gained 8 lbs. thanks to 'proper diet and hydration,' the deputy revealed while petting the Great Dane. Plus, he added, 'you can obviously tell she loves to be loved on.' Her fleas and flea dirt have also been washed away since leaving Thomas' custody, but she still has a 'long road to recovery' ahead of her, Durrance said. 'We're excited for her prognosis. We think she'll get better,' he said. 'And hopefully, she can be adopted out when that day comes.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories. Following his May 27 arrest, Thomas, the Public Utilities Director for the City of Auburndale, was charged with animal cruelty and aggravated animal cruelty. 'The dogs and their former owner will be getting the attention they need and deserve,' Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in an official statement. 'For Bradford Thomas, this behavior is absolutely unacceptable.' 'It is incomprehensible that someone in his capacity as a senior manager in a reputable and responsible local government would do something like this—starving and causing such pain for an innocent animal,' Judd claimed. 'We will do everything we can to hold him criminally responsible. We will also do everything we can to get these dogs healthy and thriving." Both Stella and Bella, the sheriff concluded, "are off to a good start — we pray it's not too late and they respond to medical treatment, nourishment, and love.' Read the original article on People
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Florida prisoners used smuggled cellphones to scam seniors, officials say: ‘Despicable'
The Brief Investigators seized dozens of cellphones from three prisons during Operation Triple Threat, according to law enforcement officials. Formal charges have not been brought yet, according to officials, but there are multiple known cases of seniors losing large amounts of money in scams. At a news conference in Tampa, officials urged seniors and their caretakers to always be on alert for any contact from strangers. TAMPA, Fla. - State and local law enforcement officials say detectives seized dozens of cellphones from Florida prisons, including devices used by inmates to scam seniors statewide. The backstory At a news conference in Tampa on Monday, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said Operation Triple Threat focused on three state prisons with a combined population of about 3,000 inmates. Officials said investigators confiscated about 40 phones, adding that some inmates were using technology – including cryptocurrency – while convincing seniors to either purchase services, pay a fine for missing jury duty or to cover toll violations, or enter into relationships. Uthmeier said the exact number of suspects facing charges is not known yet as formal charges have not been brought against them, but there are at least three known cases of seniors losing money. READ: 13-year-old girl rescued from Tampa motel: 'This child was lured' What they're saying "These guys are getting more sophisticated," Uthmeier said as he urged everyone to remain cautious when receiving phone calls or text messages from unknown numbers. Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister highlighted one case in which a 92-year-old man lost more than $800,000 over a two-year period. "Despicable, repulsive, abhorrent are just a few words I can use to describe those individuals who target and prey on our seniors," Chronister said. Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey also spoke during Monday's news conference, saying that while technology has created new challenges for law enforcement, detectives are working hard to stay ahead of the curve. "If you're going to do this type of activity, I highly recommend you do it somewhere other than the state of Florida," Ivey said. What's next Officials said Monday that they hope to release more specific details soon, including the number of suspects and victims, along with formal criminal charges. Follow FOX 13 on YouTube The Source This story was written with information from a news conference in Tampa, Florida, on June 2, 2025. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Lakeland leaders to vote on school speed zone cameras. Here's where they would go
The Brief The Lakeland City Commission plans to vote Monday on installing cameras in eight school zones to monitor speeding. A May 2024 study found nearly 850 violations per day near the eight schools. If cameras are installed, speeding in these zones could result in a $100 fine after an initial 30-day awareness campaign. LAKELAND, Fla. - Commissioners in Lakeland are set to vote Monday on a plan to install cameras aimed at cutting down on speeding in several school zones. If approved, cameras would be placed near the following eight schools: Lincoln Academy Crystal Lake Elementary Philip O'Brien Elementary Southwest Middle North Lakeland Elementary Lakeland High Lakeland Highlands Middle Sleepy Hill Elementary Why you should care During a meeting in May, the city pointed to a study from May 2024 showing nearly 850 violations per day near these schools. Additionally, Lakeland police said 25 Polk County Public School students were involved in vehicle-related crashes, resulting in 13 deaths, during the 2023-24 school year. PREVIOUS: Lakeland moves closer to adding school speed zone cameras after 13 student deaths in Polk County If cameras are installed, speeding in these zones could result in a $100 fine after an initial 30-day awareness campaign. Revenue from the fines would support school district security initiatives, school crossing guard recruitment, and city traffic safety programs. Police also say cameras would allow officers to focus their patrols on other school zones. What's next Monday's City Commission meeting is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Follow FOX 13 on YouTube The Source Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Mariah Harrison. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
