A man suspected in the brutal murder of a Cocoa woman is in jail Tuesday night after turning himself in to police.

Cocoa police said the pressure was on Marcus Royal. The news was out across the country that he was wanted, accused of murdering an 80-year-old woman in her home.

Royal was sentenced to state prison for a rape and robbery until 2022, but was released 12 years early.

Cocoa police said bank security photos show Royal trying to withdraw $500 from the account of victim Faye Jones about an hour after he allegedly beat her to death.

Police said that a short time later, on Sunday morning, he dumped her purse in the Port Canaveral area.

On Tuesday Royal turned himself in to police in Virginia. Police said apparently Royal was aware that he was wanted for the murder of Jones.

Police don't believe he hurt anyone else as he made his way north, but said they were worried about it.

"His history, because of it, we were worried," said Barbara Matthews of the Cocoa Police Department.
Royal was found guilty of raping, beating and robbing a 63-year-old woman 20 years ago, when he was 14.

He was sentenced to 27 years in state prison but got out after serving 15 years.

Royal has been arrested for other crimes since 2010, but has not gone back to prison.

"How does this happen? And why does this keep happening? An innocent woman lost her life because the system failed. It needs to change," said Diane Massey, a neighbor of Jones.

A neighbor of the victim who tried to help her was beaten so badly detectives still can't talk to him at the hospital.