GUILTY FL - Rafael 'John' Garcia, 55, found in burned SUV, Tampa, 31 July 2006

[Beyond Belief]

Tampa Police are investigating a mysterious death after firefighters found an adult body in the backseat of a burned sports utility vehicle.

Tampa Fire Rescue responded to the burning Nissan Pathfinder just before 10 p.m. Monday at St. Isabel Street and Gomez Avenue.

He is believed to be a 55-year old Palm Harbor businessman, said

http://tboblogs.com/index.php/newswire/comments/body_found_in_burned_suv

 

[Beyond Belief]

Florida's seems to have had its share of this type of crime scenes this past year.

 

[Bobbisangel]

This is so horrible. Why is it that everyone seems to either kill a person and then set their vehicle on fire with the person in it or they do something with the body but still set the vehicle on fire! I know it is because of evidence but it seems like a epidemic now days. It's bad enough to have a loved one murdered but why do they have to set them on fire! That is what should happen to the killer in the town square.

 

[OkieGranny]

From March 2009:

http://www.tbo.com/pinellas-county/pinellas-man-pleads-guilty-in-boss-slaying-gets--years-106959

A Pinellas County cleaner was sentenced to 27 years in prison after pleading guilty today to killing his boss and setting him and his vehicle on fire.

Jose Valdes, 32, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and arson charges in the death of Rafael "John" Garcia on July 31, 2006...

Garcia met Valdes at a St. Petersburg office to pay him... Garcia was beaten to death, dying from a blow to the head. Pruner said Valdes loaded Garcia's body into Garcia's 2004 Nissan Armada. Cell phone records show Valdes drove the car to a parking lot at West St. Isabel Street and North Gomez Avenue in Tampa, where the body and SUV were doused with gasoline and ignited.