Audio By Carbonatix
An unidentified homeless man knocked over a grill and ended up losing his head early Tuesday morning in Sarasota.
Ricky L. Leer, 48, another homeless resident of Sarasota, now stands charged of second-degree murder after allegedly lopping off the man’s head with a machete-like knife.
Leer, the victim, and another man had set up a makeshift camp in a wooded area in Sarasota, according to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. All three are believed to have been homeless.
The trio was cooking steaks on a grill and drinking rum early Tuesday morning when the victim supposedly knocked over the grill.
When news happens, Miami New Times is there —
Your support strengthens our coverage.
We’re aiming to raise $30,000 by December 31, so we can continue covering what matters most to you. If Miami New Times matters to you, please take action and contribute today, so when news happens, our reporters can be there.
Upset about his ruined meal, a drunken Leer pinned the victim to the ground and refused to let him up. He then grabbed a knife and began chopping the victim’s neck.
The third man fled and called police. He identified Leer as the culprit. After locating the headless body, deputies found Lee leaning against a nearby tree and swigging rum.
This isn’t Leer’s first run-in with police. He spent time in state prison for a 2007 robbery, but now he could face a much longer stint behind bars.
Follow Miami New Times on Facebook and Twitter @MiamiNewTimes.
