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Couple accused of deadly home invasions after arrest in 'pillowcase bandit' burglaries

A husband and wife accused of breaking into homes across Central Florida are also being investigated in connection with a deadly home invasion, Marion County deputies said. 
Since January, there have been dozens of burglaries across five counties, and officials said Monday that arrests have finally been made in the case.
The married suspects, Darren Decker, 41, and Jessica Baker, 44, were tracked down after a multi-agency investigation led law enforcement to their Marion County home.
Authorities said the couple are accused of a deadly home invasion in Marion County in January and in a homicide in Citrus County.
The victims' pillowcases tied all the burglaries together, authorities said. They were used to haul the stolen property out of the house, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said.
Authorities were able to link the pair to burglaries in Marion, Alachua, Sumter, Levy and Citrus counties, investigators said.
Detectives were also able to identify a storage unit they believe the pair used to store stolen property.
Decker and Baker were identified as suspects when they tried to sell some of the stolen items, officials said.
Surveillance teams from the Marion County and Citrus County sheriff’s offices tracked the pair’s movements.
Decker and Baker were arrested in Marion County during a traffic stop after they burglarized a home in Sumter County, investigators said.
They were charged with grand theft/burglary of a dwelling, for the Sumter County burglary.
Both were being held without bail at the Sumter County Jail.
More charges are pending against the couple.

Cox Media Group

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