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Sketch Released Of Murdered Man Found At Boat Ramp

A sketch was released Wednesday of a man whose body was found at a boat ramp on Little Lake Conway in Orange County. Orange County deputies are hoping the public can help identify the murder victim.

The victim was in his mid 30s to early 40s with dark hair and eyes.

Some families who live near the ramp said the place is a magnet for crime.

The sign at the ramp says the Randolph boat ramp is open sunrise to sunset. But, in reality, it's just the small park it's in that closes. The ramp and the dock are open 24-7.

"The problem is, it's turned into a park of crime," said Phillip Garris, who lives next to the ramp.

Garris has grown to hate the problems he says it draws.

"We've found needles in our yard. We've found condoms in our yard. One person exposed himself in front of my wife," Garris said.

Deputies have been out to the ramp more than 30 times since May.

Most troubling to families was Tuesday's discovery of a body at the ramp. The man had been duct-taped to a tire.

"I believe it is probably because it is open 24 hours a day. It is open at night. It is virtually unsupervised," Garris said.

Only three docks are open all night in Orange County. Eight other docks, like Fern Creek, have gates and locks and are closed each night at sunset.

Orange County Parks and Recreation said Randolph has always been kept open since it is used by fisherman at odd hours. And, at a community meeting, families voted to keep the non-stop hours.

Garris said the body was a sign it's time to rethink that decision. Wednesday afternoon, Orange County Commission Linda Stewart told Channel 9 she wants to take another look at closing the dock. Next month, the whole commission should discuss the matter.
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