PALM BAY, Fla. — An Indialantic man, Lucas S. Jones, 19, was indicted on May 19 for first-degree premeditated murder of Colie Lee Daniel, 28. Daniel’s remains were found on March 28 in the Palm Bay area, called the Compound, after he was reported missing on March 21.
A grand jury in Brevard County indicted Jones, accusing him of attracting Daniel to his beachside residence and killing him with a blunt force. The indictment states that Jones identified Daniel on a local sex offender registry, then contacted him via online dating apps, as digital evidence collected by Palm Bay Police forensics specialists indicates.
The investigation started on March 21 when Daniel’s parents reported him missing to Indialantic Police. Palm Bay Police joined on March 28 after a citizen found dismembered remains in a suitcase in the Compound, prompted by circling vultures.
Investigators found more remains in the area.
Amazon delivery packaging addressed to Jones was discovered inside one of the suitcases found with the remains. Jones’ girlfriend initially denied knowledge of Daniel’s whereabouts.
Jones’ girlfriend later told Palm Bay detectives that Jones beat Daniel to death with a baseball bat. She stated that Jones used a cleaver, saw and knife to dismember Daniel, then forced her to help transport the remains.
According to her account, Jones’ parents were out of state and returned home within a day or two after the killing.
A police search of the house on Watson Drive on April 1 uncovered blood splatters and evidence of extensive chemical cleanup attempts.
Detectives also recovered a hidden wooden box that held a microscope slide containing blood, along with a folder containing printed profiles of three local sex offenders.
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