SARASOTA, Fla. — Sarasota police are now investigating two recent suspicious deaths as apparent homicides.
Officers say the first happened back on Feb. 25. A 48-year-old Sarasota woman was found dead just before 5 p.m. near the Centennial Park boat ramp on North Tamiami Trail.
Then, a 59-year-old Sarasota woman's body was found near the shore of Whitaker Bayou by North Tamiami Trail, an area where people walk and gather.
Neither woman has been publicly identified by law enforcement, which cited protections under Marsy's Law. Police said it was not yet known if the two women knew each other or if the killer or killers knew them personally.
At a Friday afternoon news conference, Interim Police Chief Rex Troche declined to release many details — a common tactic in homicide investigations. Since only the true killer or killers would have certain specific information, detectives typically try to hold off on making too many details public. That can ensure when they make an arrest, they are able to verify they caught the right person or people by cross-referencing a potential confession against the facts of the case.
For instance, in this situation, police declined to say whether there were similarities in the way the two women appeared to have died. The agency also did not say how officers became aware of the bodies.
"These investigations are very active and ongoing. And we are going to release what details we are able to; but, right now, there are certain details that cannot be released in an effort to safeguard these investigations," police spokesperson Genevieve Judge told reporters.
Still, the need for tips was urgent enough that authorities called the Friday press conference on the matter.
“Obviously, it’s a top priority of our agency to make sure that we get this killer — or killers — before anything else happens again," Troche said during the news conference.
Troche asked all members of the public to stay vigilant.
"I think we need to look out — not only for yourselves — but you need to look out for your neighbors as well," he said.
According to Troche, no piece of information is too minor not to report. He asked anyone who might have heard or seen anything suspicious to call police.
“You’re not bothering us," Troche said. "You’re helping us.”
Asked if there was a suspect or suspects, the interim chief said it was too early to comment. However, he made clear that investigators would not stop chasing leads until they put the killer or killers behind bars.
“The people of this agency are the best of the best, and nobody is going to sleep until we solve these — including myself," said Troche, who has been in his current role for six months but has been with the department for 20 years.
Sarasota native and eyewitness to the dive team's recovery of the body on Thursday, Joseph Russel, told 10 Tampa Bay, "I saw the forensics van pull up and as soon as I saw the dive team pull, that’s when I know it was more. Before they got here, you could see a bit of the body poking out of the water and it was on the extreme bloated side."
Russel says he has always practiced caution in the area, particularly around the boat ramp.
"Even me being born and raised here, when I come into town, we do everything we can not to come back to the boat ramp late at night just for security reasons," said Russel.
The Sarasota Police Department has investigated six homicides so far this year. Detectives say they've solved all but these two. The rise in homicides is consistent with a nationwide trend.
As the recent two cases remain unsolved, police are stepping up patrols across the city, including along North Tamiami Trail.
"Residents and visitors are asked to remain vigilant and be aware of their surroundings," Judge wrote in an earlier email. "As always, if you see something suspicious, say something and contact law enforcement immediately."
Anybody with information that could help detectives is urged to call the Sarasota Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 941-263-6070 or Crime Stoppers of Sarasota at 941-366-TIPS. Tipsters can also submit information anonymously online by clicking here.