Courtesy: Okeechobee County Sheriff's Office
OKEECHOBEEE, Fla. - An 88-year-old man was found dead at his Florida home, and his 35-year-old grandson was taken into custody in Indian River County following a vehicle pursuit, according to the Okeechobee County Sheriff's Office.
Florida homicide arrest
What we know:
Investigators identified Earl Wadlington III as a suspect in the homicide of his grandfather, Paul Eugene Baker, after deputies found Baker dead at his Okeechobee County home, the sheriff's office said.
The investigation began Oct. 12 after Baker's daughter-in-law contacted law enforcement because she had not heard from him for several days. When she went to his home, she found the home in disarray, raising concerns about his wellbeing, OCSO said.
Deputies investigating the home served a probable cause search warrant. During the search, investigators found Baker dead in a concealed location on the property, according to OCSO.
Grandson arrested after vehicle pursuit
Dig deeper:
Detectives developed evidence identifying Wadlington as a suspect and learned he had left the home in Baker's vehicle, according to the sheriff's office.
A statewide law enforcement alert was issued for Wadlington and the vehicle.
At approximately 3:30 a.m. on Oct. 15, deputies with the Indian River County Sheriff's Office and officers with the Sebastian Police Department located Wadlington driving the suspect vehicle, authorities said. After a pursuit lasting about 10 minutes, he was taken into custody.
OCSO said it is seeking a probable cause arrest warrant charging Wadlington in connection with his grandfather's homicide.
Homicide victim cause of death
What we don't know:
The sheriff's office has not announced that the warrant has been issued or provided additional details about the charges. Authorities have not released specific details about where Baker's remains were found, his exact cause of death or the circumstances surrounding the discovery.
Multi-county suspect search
What you can do:
Authorities are asking anyone who may have seen or interacted with Wadlington between Oct. 11 and his arrest early Oct. 15 to contact investigators.
Detectives are particularly interested in possible sightings or interactions in Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties.
The sheriff's office released photographs showing Wadlington when he left Okeechobee County and at the time of his arrest. Investigators noted a noticeable change in his hairstyle and overall appearance.
Anyone with information is asked to contact senior detective Ashley Rojas with OCSO at 863-763-3117, extension 5108.
The investigation remains active as detectives continue gathering evidence and building the case.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Okeechobee County Sheriff's Office and the Indian River County Sheriff's Office.