03

VENUS -- A man wanted for murdering his estranged wife in Broward County on Wednesday killed himself Friday morning, May 3, after a standoff in Highlands County. Broward County deputies obtained a warrant for the arrest of 39-year-old Angel Garcia Sanchez in connection with the May 1 death of 34-year-old Carolyn Espinosa in her Weston home. During the investigation, it was learned that Sanchez had been spending time in Highlands County. The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team, along

May

2019

22

LAKE PLACID -- A 20-year-old Lake Placid man was shot and killed during the annual Easter gathering in Highway Park. Markie Kelajawan McCray died Monday morning, April 22, at Tampa General Hospital after being shot Sunday night. Hundreds of people from Highlands County and surrounding counties gather in Highway Park every Easter night, so deputies were already in the area working crowd control when they were notified of the shooting at 11:15 p.m. Deputies were at the scene of the shooting

April

2019

22

SEBRING -- Children of law enforcement officers who work or live in Highlands County are invited to apply for the Deputy William J. Gentry Jr. Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship will award one student $2,247 toward their college education. Gentry, whose badge number was 2247, was killed in the line of duty in May of 2018. “This scholarship is the result of the tremendous outpouring of support from the community following the loss of Deputy Gentry,” Sheriff Paul Blackman said. “The Gentry

April

2019

01

22-year-old Jonathan Diaz was killed over debt to fellow drug dealers SEBRING -- The ongoing investigation into an international drug trafficking ring that was responsible for up to 28.6 pounds of of methamphetamine per week into Highlands County and the surrounding area is now also a murder investigation. During the investigation into the organization, it was learned that 22-year-old Jonathan Diaz was one of the top-level dealers in the local organization. On Dec. 22, Diaz’s family reported

April

2019

29

SEBRING -- Multiple search and arrest warrants were served Thursday, March 28, as the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office, the Port St. Lucie office of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the local Probation and Parole office teamed up to dismantle an international methamphetamine trafficking ring. The investigation began in August of 2018 when the HCSO Narcotics Unit learned that 27-year-old Miguel

March

2019