Counting 'em Down: For better or for worse, this is the Headline Surfer countdown of the 2021's Top 100 biggest news stories of Central Florida along the tourism-driven stretch of Interstate 4 (Orlando Attractions and east to I-95 & the World's Most Famous Beach in Daytona). Each recap segment is posted with its own headline, culminating with the unveiling of No. 1 on New Year's Day or shortly thereafter. Then Headline Surfer will post a Top 10 forecast story of the good, the bad & the ugly on the horizon in "2022: The Year That Lies Ahead."
By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer
SANFORD, Fla. -- A real-life horror story brought a bunch of cop cars to a house in the 200 block of Hays Drive just before 9 p.m. Halloween night five years ago while families with kids in costumes were winding down from the fun of trick or treating in the neighborhood.
Cops with lights and sirens rushed to the crime scene in the 200 block of Hays Drive, where they would locate Joseph Smith, 27, and Roland Deloatch, 41, suffering from gunshot wounds. Both brothers would later die as a result of those injuries.
Deloach was a father of three children. Smith was married with two children. Police have not said what prompted the shootings. There had been several persons of interest police, but none were directly tied to the killings.
Sanford Police issued a statement on the eve of Halloween 2021: "On this 5-year anniversary, we at the Sanford Police Department have not forgotten these two young men who would lose their lives on an evening that should have been filled with fun and good times. Instead, a killer used the night to commit these bold murders in disguise, carrying them out in front of the mother of the two brothers."
The statement continued: "The suspect then fled the home, blending in with the families that were celebrating Halloween in costumes. Several leads were thoroughly followed and evidence analyzed to no avail, leaving a family, friends, and the community grieving and without closure for the past 5 years. In an ongoing effort to solve this double homicide, the Sanford Police Department and the family of Joseph and Roland are asking for the community’s help with any information that would lead to the person(s) responsible for killing Joseph and Roland."
Sanford Police issued a statement on the eve of Halloween 2021: "On this 5-year anniversary, we at the Sanford Police Department have not forgotten these two young men who would lose their lives on an evening that should have been filled with fun and good times. Instead, a killer used the night to commit these bold murders in disguise, carrying them out in front of the mother of the two brothers. The suspect then fled the home, blending in with the families that were celebrating Halloween in costumes. Several leads were thoroughly followed and evidence analyzed to no avail, leaving a family, friends, and the community grieving and without closure for the past 5 years. In an ongoing effort to solve this double homicide, the Sanford Police Department and the family of Joseph and Roland are asking for the community’s help with any information that would lead to the person(s) responsible for killing Joseph and Roland."
REWARD OFFERED: Anyone with information regarding this crime is asked to contact Central Florida Crimelineat 800-423-TIPS (8477) or visit www.crimeline.org. Calls made to Crimeline remain anonymous, and tips to Crimelinethat lead to solving this homicide are eligible for a reward of up to $15,000.00. Anyone with information can also contact the Sanford Police Department at (407) 688-5070.
About the Byline Writer: Henry Frederick is a member of the working press and publisher of Headline Surfer, the award-winning 24/7 internet news outlet launched in 2008, that serves greater Daytona Beach, Sanford & Orlando from Lake Mary, Florida via HeadlineSurfer.com. Frederick has amassed close to 150 award-winning bylines in print & online. He earned his Master of Arts in New Media Journalism from Full Sail University in 2019. He was a breaking news reporter (metro cops & courts beat) for the Daytona Beach News-Journal for nearly a decade. And Before that worked the same beat for The Journal-News/Gannett Suburban Newspapers in Rockland/Westchester counties, NY, dating back to 1989. Having witnessed the execution of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Florida's death chamber and covering other high profile cases, Frederick has appeared on national crime documentary shows on Discovery ID, Reelz, and the Oxygen Network series "Snapped" for his analysis. • Award-Winning Journalism: Florida Press Club recognizes Headline Surfer for nine stories in 2020 statewide competition. • Award-Winning Journalism of Henry Frederick.