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Man already serving life sentence indicted in 1991 Daytona Beach homicide case

Grand jury indicted Michael Townson, 53, on a charge of 1st-degree murder

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – A man who is already serving a life sentence for a brutal murder in Brevard County now faces charges for the death of a woman that has gone unsolved since 1991.

A Volusia County grand jury indicted Michael Townson, 53, on a charge of first-degree murder Monday in the 1991 disappearance of Linda Little, according to a news release from the state attorney’s office.

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Little was last reported missing to Daytona Beach police on Oct. 14, 1991, after no one had seen her in three days, police said. During a news conference on Tuesday, Daytona Beach police Chief Jakari Young said a lead came in 2020 when Townson asked to speak with investigators and provided a “full confession.”

Michael Townson, 53 (Copyright 2022 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.)

Townson is currently serving a life sentence for the 2008 murder of Sherri Carman, who was beaten to death with a pipe inside her Titusville home, records show. While incarcerated, Young said Townson found God and “the Lord placed it on his heart to confess.”

Little’s sister, Wanda, attended the news conference on Tuesday and thanked Townson for confessing.

“I’ve forgiven him. I know that’s crazy ... this is an answer to prayer. I’ve been praying for closure, and God works in mysterious ways,” she said.

Linda Little. (Daytona Beach Police Department)

Detective Dave Dinardi with the police department said Townson and the victim met at a hotel bar in Daytona Beach.

“Unfortunately just appears that it was a random meeting that, unfortunately, (was) on the wrong day in the wrong time when Linda just met the wrong person,” he said.

Dinardi said Townson confessed they were enjoying a few drinks together when something “caused him to snap.” When asked during the news conference if Townson would be considered a suspected serial killer, Dinardi answered yes.

The CBS affiliate in Memphis, WREG, interviewed Townson in 2019 after he claimed to have killed at least nine people, including two women in Tennessee, according to the station’s reporting.

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About the Authors
Thomas Mates headshot

Thomas Mates is a Streaming Executive Producer for News 6 and ClickOrlando.com. He also produces the podcast Florida Foodie. Thomas is originally from Northeastern Pennsylvania and worked in Portland, Oregon before moving to Central Florida in August 2018. He graduated from Temple University with a degree in Journalism in 2010.

Brenda Argueta headshot

Brenda Argueta is a digital journalist who joined ClickOrlando.com in March 2021. She is the author of the Central Florida Happenings newsletter that goes out every Thursday.

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