Less than a week after a Lake County man was arrested in connection to the murder of a Brevard County prostitute, investigators are trying to find out if he's responsible for similar crimes.
Lance Berning, 44, was arrested last week and charged with first-degree premeditated murder in connection to the death of 24-year-old Jennifer Hedges, of Titusville.
Hedges was beaten, and then her body was dumped into the Indian River. Concrete was attached to Hedges' body to pull her down to the bottom of the river, investigators said.
Hedges' body floated to the surface Oct. 9. Her body was found by a man who was placing a kayak in the Indian River.
About a week later, investigators were transporting Berning from Lake County to the Brevard County Jail. But how were they able to solve the case so quickly?
A new report shows Berning was bragging about the murder over beers at a Leesburg-area bar.
According to the arrest affidavit, Berning told a friend he would "get better at disposing a body next time" where no one would find it. Berning was later caught on tape describing the murder in great detail, investigators said.
The details of the crime now have police in Fruitland Park wondering if Berning could be responsible for the death of Cindy Engelking, who was killed in 2009. Engelking also worked as a prostitute not far from where Berning lived. Engelking's body was found in a construction site for a subdivision located along Urick Street. The subdivision was never completed.
Fruitland Park police said they are working with Lake County Sheriff's Office investigators on the case, but officials wouldn't go into further detail on if they have any other reasons to believe Berning could be responsible.
Berning remains in the Brevard County Jail.
Anyone with information on either of these cases — or on Berning — is asked to call Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS (8477).