Florida police on Thanksgiving found the dismembered remains of a man in the trunk of his own vehicle and believe the person who killed the victim fatally shot himself, WFLA-TV reports.
“The scene our deputies responded to was absolutely shocking,” Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast in a press release about the disturbing case in Inverness, between Tampa and Gainesville.
On Thursday, the sheriff’s office received information that a murder may have occurred at a residence in the north Florida city near Poe Street and Eden Drive, prompting deputies to investigate and perform a welfare check.
When the deputies arrived at the home, they announced themselves and knocked on the front door, but no one answered.
Deputies then examined the perimeter of the property, where they found “a large butcher style knife on the ground, blood, and drag marks,” according to the sheriff’s office.
The deputies repeated attempts to contact anyone on the property before entering the home. Inside, they found 75-year-old Jonathan Dimick Sr. unresponsive but alive with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Medics were called and transported Dimick by helicopter to a hospital, where he died days later, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
While at the scene, investigators also found the dismembered body of a man later identified as 67-year-old James Banks. The remains were located in the trunk of Banks’ vehicle, Fox 13 reports. It was not immediately clear what relationship, if any, Banks had with Dimick.
“It is truly unfortunate that our suspect will never be prosecuted for this brutal crime,” Prendergast added. “However, thanks to the caller’s courage and our team’s quick response, Mr. Banks’ family can begin their grieving process with the knowledge that no one will ever again suffer by the hands of Mr. Dimick.”
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[Feature Photo: Jonathan Dimick Sr/Citrus County Sheriff’s Office]
