By Danny Valentine and Ileana Morales, Times Staff Writers
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Pinellas Park Police officers said burglars stabbed and killed a 58-year-old man who confronted them early Thursday morning as they were breaking into cars. The victim lived in the second floor corner apartment seen here at 8400 49th Street N.
PINELLAS PARK — A 58-year-old man was fatally stabbed after confronting two men who were breaking into cars near his apartment building early Thursday, police said.
The unidentified man had multiple cuts and stab wounds to his upper torso and legs, police said. It was not immediately clear if he was stabbed with a knife or another sharp object, police said.
Two men were stealing stereos in a parking lot at the Whetstone Apartments, 8400 49th Street N (map below), a sprawling 19-building complex with five entrances and exits.
Before he died, the victim gave police the following description of the burglars: One was a white man, about 5 feet 10 inches tall, possibly with red hair, wearing a black-hooded sweatshirt; the other was a black man, about 5 feet 6 inches tall, wearing a black T-shirt over a white T-shirt.
The suspects face murder and burglary charges, police said.
The victim saw the men breaking into at least one vehicle and confronted them, police said. Police found six burglarized vehicles.
"He was essentially murdered for doing so," said Lt. Paul Andrews, a Pinellas Park police spokesman.
After the attack, the victim retreated to his second-floor apartment, about 60 yards from where he was stabbed, and called 911 about 1:30 a.m. to report that he was bleeding profusely. The suspects fled.
Police found him alive near his second floor apartment. He was taken to a local hospital and died about 4:35 a.m. Police withheld his name pending notification of family in Wisconsin.
Neighbors said the victim was a friendly man who once helped a neighbor with car problems.
Gail Abrams, a neighbor who lives across a parking lot from the victim, said she didn't hear or see anything unusual about 10 minutes before the 911 call when she walked her Jack Russell terrier, Coco. Abrams, who has lived at the complex for two months, said it's a friendly, quiet community.
Neighbor Ani Asllani said he didn't see anything unusual when he stepped out for a cigarette on his balcony in another building about 1 a.m. He hasn't had major problems at the complex in his three years there, though he has called police at least six times to report the same drunken man knocking on his door after midnight.
Police tried to track the two suspects with police dogs without success, saying the men may have fled in a car before the 911 call.
Police ask anyone with information about the case to call Crime Stoppers of Pinellas at 1-800-873-TIPS or www.crimstoppersofpinellas.org.
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