Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit solves another cold case

Major Crimes Unit Detectives worked with state and federal law enforcement partners to solve another cold case, marking the third unsolved case closed by the unit since last year.

“I am extremely grateful our Major Crimes Unit Detectives and our state and federal law enforcement partners were able to give the victim some closure in this awful case,” said Sheriff Rick Ramsay.

The Sheriff’s Office responded to sexual battery and battery on March 13, 1987 at a trailer park at Mile Marker 59 on Grassy Key.

Detectives learned the 36-year-old female victim was held at knifepoint — her right hand cut — and her legs and arms bound with cord.

The suspect then placed a pillow over the victim’s head and sexually assaulted her.

After years of investigating this case, Major Crime’s Unit Detectives and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement were able to obtain the identity of the suspect through the use of DNA technology.

He was identified as 64-year-old William Anechiarico.

An arrest warrant was obtained by the Major Crimes Unit and entered into a law enforcement database. The investigation continued with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service. Major Crimes Unit Detectives subsequently discovered the suspect died in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala last summer.

The victim was notified of the case’s resolution. She no longer resides on Grassy Key.

The Major Crimes Unit also used DNA technology to recently solve two other cold cases:

  • In June 2020, the Major Crimes Unit resolved the unsolved murder of an unidentified female or Jane Doe found in a wooded area of U.S. 1 near Mile Marker 35 in 1991. The previously unknown female has now been identified as 18-year-old Wanda Deann Kirkum of Hornell, New York. It was determined after a national database search that Kirkham was never officially reported missing to law enforcement. Both her parents are now deceased. Her killer was identified as Robert Lynn Bradley, who himself died as the victim of a homicide in Tarrant County, Texas, in April 1992, at the age of 31.
  • In October 2020, the Major Crimes Unit resolved the unsolved murder of 65-year-old Ronald Silvia whose body was found in a burning motor home in the Seahorse Campground on Big Pine Key on Jan. 19, 2012. The killer was identified as Silvia’s former romantic partner, 55-year-old Timothy Hugh Blanton. Blanton was arrested by Daytona Beach Police and he was returned to Monroe County where he is currently in jail awaiting trial on arson and murder charges.
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