Tampa

Police Investigate 3rd Suspicious Death in Tampa Community

Police in Tampa are investigating a suspicious death that they believe may be related to two other recent deaths in the neighborhood.

Interim Tampa police Chief Brian Dugan said during a news conference on Thursday night that they are treating all three deaths "as though they are related" unless they find out otherwise.

"This is very frustrating, I go from frustration to anger on these unsolved homicides, and now we have someone who is terrorizing the neighborhood," Dugan said at a news conference Friday.

The latest body was discovered Thursday night about 100 yards from one of the two bodies found last week in the same Seminole Heights neighborhood.

Officials said officers were in the neighborhood when they heard gunfire around 8 p.m. The officers found the body of Anthony Naiboa a short time later.

The previous deaths include a 32-year-old woman, Monica Hoffa, and a 22-year-old man, Benjamin Mitchell.

According to police, Mitchell was shot and killed the night of Oct. 9 as he was waiting at a bus stop. Hoffa was found shot to death on Oct. 13.

Earlier this week, police took the unusual step of warning residents in the area not to walk alone at night. They also asked residents to keep external lights on and offered free light bulbs.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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