February 13, 2020
On February 12, 2020 at 3:30 PM Deputies responded to 12070
NE 20 Street to a reported suspicious death. Deputies met with a witness whose
speech was incoherent and unintelligible but were able to decipher a person was
still inside the home and apparently dead. Deputies entered the home and in the
process of searching for the deceased person, fell immediately ill after
inhaling noxious fumes inside the house. They did locate the remains of a 52
year old male before having to exit the home. Deputies were treated and
released on scene by LCDPS after it was determined the fumes were created by a
combination of chemicals and fertilizer inside the home that were being used in
a sophisticated indoor marijuana grow operation.
LCSO Drug Task Force and Criminal Investigations Detectives
secured a search warrant for the home and discovered a high yield multiple room
grow operation. The 8th District Medical Examiner’s Office is
assisting the LCSO to determine the cause of death. There is no indication the
death of the 52 year old is due to a violent act.
This is still an on-going investigation. No arrests have
been made at this juncture of the investigation. Anyone who has information that
could aid detectives is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at 352-486-5111 and request
Sergeant Mike Narayan or Detective Rob Bowers.