TAMPA, Fla — Thursday's planned news conference with Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren on what's described as a "major development" in a 1980s cold case is underway following an afternoon of uncertainty.
Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier in the day announced Warren's suspension due to what he described as a "neglect of duty."
Speaking at the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, DeSantis said Warren violated his oath of office and picked and chose the types of laws he enforced.
"When you make yourself above the law, you have violated your duty," DeSantis said.
Following these developments, the state attorney's office said the news conference was canceled, but Warren released a statement later Thursday afternoon, saying he will speak on the case at 4 p.m.
10 Tampa Bay will update this story on the new developments announced during the press conference.
The previous story is below.
---
Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren is set to make an announcement on a "major development" in the cold case murder of a teen raped and murdered in the 1980s.
The cold case investigation dates back to Aug. 18, 1983, when 19-year-old Barbara Grams was raped and murdered, the state attorney's office said in a news release.
Robert DuBoise was originally arrested in connection to the case but was exonerated in 2020 after DNA evidence established he did not kill Grams, officials say. He spent decades in prison before his release. The state attorney's office's Conviction Review Unit did however find new leads and launched a fresh investigation from the DNA samples collected in 2020.
At 3 p.m. on Aug. 4, Warren will provide an overview of the "groundbreaking process leading to this major development," the state attorney's office said.
The Conviction Review Unit in Hillsborough is one of the first in Florida. Its purpose is to identify, remedy and prevent wrongful convictions.
RELATED: Man wrongfully convicted for murder files lawsuit against city of Tampa, detectives behind arrest