INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office has arrested the person of interest involved in the county’s first homicide on unrelated charges.
Authorities have not released the identity of the person of interest, only saying the subject is male. They have not released what charges the subject is being held on, either.
“We don’t want to jeopardize the case,” Sheriff’s spokesman Director Jeff Luther said Thursday morning.
Sheriff Deryl Loar Monday said he expected to arrest the person of interest for the homicide soon. Luther said investigators are waiting DNA results to be returned from the victim’s autopsy.
Normally, it can take between one and two weeks for DNA results to come back from the lab, Luther said, adding that he is hoping the lab will be able to turn around the results faster than that as it has done in the past for the Sheriff’s Office.
The victim, identified as 71-year-old Walter Richmond Hobson II, of 675 23rd Place SW, in south Indian River County, was found dead inside his home shortly after noon Sunday by a family member who notified authorities.
Sheriff Loar said on Monday investigators suspect drugs may have been involved based on witness interviews and habits of certain individuals.
Authorities are not yet releasing the cause of death for Hobson due to the ongoing nature of the investigation.
