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Palm Bay leaders looking for safety solutions at ‘Compound’ after woman’s burned remains found

Meeting of city council to propose solutions to crime on under-developed property

PALM BAY, Fla. – A woman’s burned and dismembered body was discovered less than three months after police in Palm Bay said two teenage boys were found shot and killed.

And unlike Daniel Stearns, who is accused of killing 44-year-old Nancy Howery, there are still no arrests in those Christmas deaths.

In January, the mother of one of those teens, 14-year-old Jeremiah Brown, addressed the city council, which scheduled an upcoming workshop to address problems in the Compound.

On Thursday, March 30, Mayor Rob Medina says the city council will discuss the legal challenges of controlling access to privately-owned lots on public roads.

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The mayor said another challenge is limited police resources.

Councilman Kenny Johnson advocated for the development of the 12-square-mile property.

At the public workshop, the council could discuss ideas like building an ATV park.

Off-roading is already popular in the Compound but right now, police say riders are trespassing if they’re on someone else’s property.

“I’m tired of seeing a dead young man or woman, whoever, out in the Compound,” Johnson said. “But with the right investors, we can grow that area.”

Before the workshop on March 30, Palm Bay holds its next regular city council meeting this coming Thursday at 6 p.m. at City Hall on Malabar Road.

The public can also comment on the Compound then.

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