Local

Kissimmee police dig up vacant lot for evidence

POINCIANA, Fla. — Kissimmee police and Polk County deputies are searching a vacant lot for evidence in a crime.

Crews have been using machinery to dig up the lot on Parakeet Court, off Marigold Avenue in Poinciana.

Investigators aren't saying exactly what they may be looking for, but they brought out heavy equipment and a crew of crime scene techs.

For a second day, neighbors along Paraket Court watched heavy machinery plow through a lot near a vacant home. Kissimmee police will only say they are looking for evidence of a crime. So far, police haven't found any.

"It's still nerve-racking because you don't know what they're doing over there and digging out. They don't come over here to even put a paper in the box to let us know what's going on," said resident Ivette Ortiz.

Neighbors have heard investigators may be looking for a body, but Kissimmee police won't say.

"Can you tell us what type of incident we're talking about? A homicide or some other sort of crime?" asked WFTV reporter Melonie Holt.

"At this point, we don't have anything to substantiate that tip. So we're not going to speak on what type of incident," said Stacie Miller with the Kissimmee Police Department.

All neighbors know is the last time they saw this type of law enforcement presence, Osceola County investigators were looking for a missing mom. Coincidentally, the body of 28-year-old Nicole Fields was found near the neighborhood. Fields' ex-boyfriend was charged in her death. Now, neighbors just want to know if another crime has taken place close to home.

"I am concerned. I want to know if this place safe for us," said resident Maria Ortiz.

Police say they will keep digging until they've exhausted the search area.