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3 close friends murdered during Florida fishing trip, sheriff says

Posted at 11:11 AM, Jul 20, 2020
and last updated 2020-07-20 11:11:35-04

FROSTPROOF, Fla. — The triple murder of three close friends is under investigation in Florida.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office says around 10:06 p.m. on Friday, one victim, 27-year-old Rollins, called his dad for help.

Officials say his dad knew Brandon had gone fishing with two of his friends, 30-year-old Keven Springfield and 23-year-old Damion Tillman, who were also victims. All were from Frostproof.

Brandon's dad drove to the unincorporated area of Frostproof and when he arrived, he found his son barely alive, officials say. The other two friends were found dead.

Brandon's dad drove to a close-by gas station to call 911.

When first responders arrived, all three victims were found dead. Officials said they appeared to have been beaten and shot.

"This is a horrific scene. I've been to a lot of murder scenes in my life and this ranks among the worst I've been to," said Sheriff Grady Judd.

According to families, the three men were best friends and knew each other for years. They said the three men were fishing on land, not in a boat.

"We are seeking leads. We need help so we can solve this crime sooner rather than later because there are one or more, we suspected more, murderers, that killed three people in a quiet community," said Sheriff Judd.

The sheriff's office is asking for the public's help on any information on the incident. If anyone has any information, contact PCSO at 863-298-6200.

This story was originally published by Lisette Lopez at WFTS.