POLK COUNTY, Fla. – Four people living on a Frostproof property where three friends were slain earlier this month have been arrested after Polk County investigators said the property was like a landfill and covered in human and animal waste.
Damion Tillman, 23, Brandon Rollins, 27, and Keven Springfield, 30, were all found dead in Frostproof on July 18 where the best friends had met to go on a fishing trip. Three suspects --“TJ” Wiggins, 26, William “Robert” Wiggins, 21, and Mary Whittemore, 27 -- were later arrested and charged in connection with the murders, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
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While homicide detectives were serving a search warrant for land on Sarver Avenue near where the victims were found, they observed hazardous conditions and asked for Polk County environmental crimes to investigate, according to a news release.
According to the arrest reports, the camper where 58-year-old Tony Wiggins Sr., 42-year-old Robert Keene, 54-year-old Nydia Liboy and 19-year-old Chyanne Eccleston were living had an open septic tank draining into the ground with “feces visible at the surface of the ground.”
All four were arrested and charged with environmental crimes.
Environmental detectives said the property was covered in tires and broken down vehicles, metals, appliances and other debris, comparing it to a landfill.
“Throughout the property an excessive amount of flies were swarming around the trash, dog feces and human feces,” detectives wrote in the report.
Three dogs and a cat were found on the property and collected by Animal Control, according to a news release.
Sheriff Grady Judd said the property was unfit for animals, let alone humans.
“The property where these suspects live looks like a landfill and has raw sewage all over the ground. It’s not only not fit for humans, I wouldn’t even let a dog live there,” Judd said in a statement.
Wiggins Sr. told detectives he knows the septic tank is illegal but can’t afford to have a proper system installed, which is why he was draining it into the ground.
Wiggins Sr. is charged with improperly building and maintaining septic, refusing to sign the animal control citation, operating an unpermitted landfill, operating an unpermitted waste tire facility, failure to report lost or abandoned property and the illegal use of dairy cases. He remains in the Polk County Jail as of Monday morning.
Keene and Liboy are both charged with improperly building and maintaining septic and operating an unpermitted landfill. Both posted bail.
Eccleston remains in jail as of Monday and is charged with improperly building and maintaining septic.
Tony Wiggins Jr. and William Robert Wiggins, two of the suspects arrested last week in the triple homicide, are also facing charges related to the property. They are charged with improperly building and maintaining septic tanks, operating an unpermitted landfill and operating an unpermitted waste tire facility. Both remain in the Polk County Jail.