Florida man accused of killing witness planning to testify against him

FLORIDA – Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents have arrested a Florida man accused of killing a witness who was reportedly planning to testify against the suspected killer.

Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) served an arrest warrant on Marlon Tyrone Burgess, 37, of Lake Wales, after he allegedly killed a witness who was planning to testify against him in an upcoming attempted murder trial, the FDLE said.

According to the FDLE, Burgess is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, tampering with physical evidence, attempted murder, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Hardee County Sheriff’s Office and Lake Wales Police Department assisted the  FDLE on this case.

“Friends of this suspect described him as dangerous and willing to do whatever was needed to avoid going back to prison. So, with cold and calculating persistence Burgess came up with a plan to murder the one person who could put him back behind bars, said Mark Brutnell, FDLE Tampa Bay Special Agent in Charge.

“We are extremely pleased with this indictment and pray it brings some closure to the victim’s family,” said Hardee County Sheriff Vent Crawford.

The FDLE said it began its investigation in 2020 after the body of a 20-year-old man was found in an orange grove in Hardee County.  The victim, who had been beaten and stabbed, was planning to testify against Burgess after being shot by him in 2019, the FDLE said.

Burgess, who was out of jail on pretrial diversion, allegedly tried repeatedly to contact the victim to keep him from testifying.  The investigation shows when that failed, Burgess came up with a plan to kill the victim, the FDLE said.

Once the victim died, his body was disposed of in a Hardee County orange grove.

Burgess was arrested on June 3, 2020, for violation of his pretrial release and has been in jail since that time.  The investigation is ongoing and additional suspects are expected to be indicted. Anyone with information about this case can contact FDLE Tampa Bay at (800) 226-1140.

This case is being prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney, 10th Judicial Circuit.