LAKE COUNTY, Fla. -- A two month-long murder investigation involving multiple Central Florida law enforcement agencies ended with the arrest of three people accused of killing a man in a random act of violence.
- 3 arrested in fatal shooting of man in Lake Co.
- 56-year-old Scott Behney shot and killed
- Suspects facing murder, attempted robbery charges
A 16-year-old boy from Orlando, 23-year-old Larry Burrows of Orlando, and 18-year-old Tracy Mays Jr. of Leesburg are facing murder and attempted robbery charges for the death of Scott Behney.
Investigators say the three suspects tried to rob Behney on April 10 in Fruitland Park in Lake County. The 56-year-old was shot and killed while working on a truck in a garage.
“Someone should have the right to be out working on their vehicle and a sense of safety to be able to do that in their own neighborhood where they are living," said Danny Banks, FDLE Special Agent in charge.
“Unfortunately, these three thugs decided it was a good opportunity for them to rob and then kill somebody and that’s what happened. They robbed him and killed him, and left him there for dead,” he added.
Burrows, Mays, and the 16-year-old are all in custody.
In accordance to our crime guidelines, we are not identifying the teen since he is a juvenile.
“We already had one victim. I mean clearly had we not been able to identify them and make the arrest, this could have happened to somebody else, whether it be our jurisdiction or someone else’s jurisdiction, so yeah it’s a huge relief to get them off the street,” said Fruitland Park Police Chief Michael Fewless.
Banks also expressed relief about the arrest.
"You've got three individuals that think it's okay to drive around the community and commit acts of violence like this with no apparent thought of any action being brought against them by the government. Well, that's changed. Their joy ride is over," Banks said.
“They just threw their life away and took somebody else’s in the meantime,” said John McAuliffe, owner of John’s Trees & Landscaping.
He lives near the garage and spends a lot of time canvassing the community as a landscaper.
“I’m super happy they made an arrest. Good job. Get them off the street. They don’t need to be here,” McAuliffe said.
Behney was from Pennsylvania and had only been in the Orlando area for a few months, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Banks and Fewless said several law enforcement agencies working together allowed them to make the arrests.
After the shooting, investigators say the three suspects got away in a black Honda and drove to Orange County.
It was stopped on April 16, in Orlando, but the people in the car ran away.
Crime lab results matched shell casings from the murder scene to a gun found in that Honda.