Blue Dodge truck sought in Polk City murder investigation

POLK CITY (FOX 13) - Three good Samaritans offered to help an injured man but ended up part of a murder investigation, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Wednesday.

Deputies are now searching for a blue Dodge Ram pickup truck that belongs to a man found dead inside a home on Berkley Road in Polk City.

Judd said 911 dispatchers got a call after people driving near the scene stopped to help a man who waved them down from the side of the road.

They said the man was bloody and obviously injured.

The man told the good Samaritans he had been robbed and there was another person inside a nearby house suffering from injuries.

“Our victim told the good Samaritans that he was robbed but I can tell you this he was more than robbed. He's very critical,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. “He was bleeding profusely what they noticed was, he had some severe injuries.”

When they went inside the home, they found a man's body. Judd said the person died a "very violent death."

“They ran to his help not knowing what was wrong and then went into that house they took an obvious risk,” said Judd. “They discovered that the man was deceased in the house.”

The deceased man's 2008 blue Dodge Ram 1500 2-door pickup truck with a Florida handicapped tag Z2SKD is missing and Judd said investigators believe a suspect or suspects may be driving it.

The truck has wooden fence rails, similar to siding, on the back and shiny rims. 

Investigators are searching for the truck in eastern Hillsborough County and western Polk County, but Judd said it could be anywhere.

“We’re going to find them and arrest them so if you give us the information to find them before we find them on our own you get $3,000,” said Judd. “We are presuming at this point in time a murder suspect or suspects are in possession of this vehicle.”

The injured man was having emergency surgery. Judd said his injuries were severe.