SARASOTA, Fla. — The Sarasota Police Department continued its search Thursday for clues that could help them crack not one — but two — recent unsolved homicides.
Officers say it's still too early to say whether the deaths of the two women are related, but efforts are underway to find their killer or killers. This week, detectives collected evidence and spoke with more possible witnesses, while following up on dozens of leads.
On Wednesday, the department's Emergency Response Team was activated for a search of some sort near the North Tamiami Trail corridor.
No suspect or suspects have been named.
"The priority of the Sarasota Police Department is to give families who have their lost loved ones justice and find those responsible," the agency wrote in an email.
The first case involves a 48-year-old Sarasota woman who was found dead on Feb. 25 near the Centennial Park boat ramp along North Tamiami Trail. The woman had been experiencing homelessness.
The second involves a 59-year-old Sarasota woman whose body was discovered on March 10 near the shore of Whitaker Bayou, also along North Tamiami Trail. The woman was in the process of finding a new place to live after recently staying with family, investigators said.
"It’s unknown if the two women knew one another or if the suspect or suspects knows the victims," a Sarasota PD spokesperson reiterated.
Neither woman has yet been publicly-identified by authorities, although friends said they knew the woman found on Feb. 25 as "Kelly."
"Everybody loved Kelly, she was wonderful," Victoria Austin, who is unhoused, recently told 10 Tampa Bay. Austin said Kelly was her very close friend.
Police say the city's Homeless Outreach Team, which is staffed by officers and case managers, has stepped up patrols and homeless outreach in the area. Anyone needing help can reach out by calling the team at 941-374-2404 or 941-387-5744.
“We want to remind our community, especially those who may be in between housing or are unhoused, they need to remain vigilant,” Interim Police Chief Rex Troche wrote in a statement. “Until we’ve made arrests in these cases, this remains a top priority for our agency. We want citizens to remain vigilant and always be aware of their surroundings."
Simultaneously, police have shifted resources citywide to ensure heightened security, including along the North Tamiami Trail corridor.
Anyone who sees something suspicious is urged to call the Sarasota Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 941-263-6070 or contact Crime Stoppers at 941-366-TIPS. Tips may be submitted anonymously by clicking here.
