Police released new video Thursday of a person of interest who officers are searching for in connection with three deaths thought to be committed by a serial killer in Tampa, Florida.
Authorities said that three people have been shot to death since Oct. 9 in the typically calm Seminole Heights neighborhood. The victims, identified as 22-year-old Benjamin Mitchell, 32-year-old Monica Hoffa and 20-year-old Anthony Naiboa, were shot within a 1-mile radius of each other over a 10-day period.
A $35,000 reward is being offered for information in the case, interim Police Chief Brian Dugan said Thursday, up $10,000 from a previous award due to funding by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Police released video showing a person walking toward the area where Mitchell was shot and killed Oct. 9. In one part of the video, the person appears to be flipping a phone.
“That might be a habit of this person,” Dugan said Thursday at a news conference. “At this point, everything is a clue, everything is a speculation. The bottom line is this person could be completely innocent, but we want to talk to you.”
The person is later seen running from the area seconds after Mitchell was shot.
“Some of the video is not clear, but in my opinion, if you knew who this person was – if that were me in that video, I have to believe that my neighbors would be able to identify me,” Dugan said.
Police hope the person can help officers piece together what happened the night Mitchell died.
“We believe this person saw or heard something that could be a key to solving these murders,” Tampa police said in a news release. “We believe this person has ties to the neighborhood.”
Police said they have received hundreds of tips in recent days. No suspect has been identified in the killings.
Authorities continue to investigate.
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