Florida landlord killed family of 4, burned bodies in fire pit: police
A Florida landlord was charged with killing a family of four, including two children, and burning their remains in the fire pit of the home, police said.
A Florida landlord was charged with murder after he allegedly slaughtered a family of four, including two kids ages 5 and 6, and burned their bodies in his backyard fire pit.
According to the affidavit obtained from the Clark County Clerk's office, Pasco County deputies first began looking for 26-year-old Rain Mancini, 25-year-old Phillip Zilliot II, 6-year-old Karma Zilliot and 5-year-old Phillip Zilliot III after a request for a welfare check on June 13.
The concerned resident called police after his brother said that 25-year-old Rory Atwood had called him and requested that he help with burning trash.
The brother told the caller that he saw a puddle of blood and could see "adult and child bodies" over the video call, the affidavit stated.
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When law enforcement arrived at Atwood's home in Hudson, Florida, he allegedly assured police that he had "no knowledge" of the family's disappearance.
He told police that the family left the property on June 12, the affidavit said.
The next day, law enforcement received a call from a man who claimed Atwood had "admitted to killing his roommates and their children," the affidavit stated.
Investigators spoke with Atwood again, who said he had kicked the family out due to unpaid rent, despite the family's belongings still inside their rented home.
During a search of the property, deputies uncovered a fire pit in the backyard with various burned debris at the base.
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A cadaver dog pulled "small skeletal remains," soft tissue and two human vertebrae out of the fire pit, officials said.
There was also a "strong odor" of chlorine around the front porch, the affidavit stated.
Atwood later told detectives that he had evicted the family from his home on June 1 because they did not pay rent, but the family came by "unexpectedly" on the evening of June 12, according to the affidavit.
Atwood claimed the couple entered his bedroom, where he and his 4-year-old daughter were, with knives. He said he got into a fight with Phillip Zilliot II as Mancini poked his daughter's neck with a knife, the affidavit stated.
During the fight, Atwood claimed Phillip Zilliot II pulled out a gun and that Mancini was shot multiple times during a struggle for the weapon.
Atwood claimed he redirected the gun toward Phillip Zilliot II and pulled the trigger, killing him, investigators said.
The affidavit said Atwood "did not disclose" how the two children died but claimed that Phillip Zilliot II and Mancini had killed their two children.
Atwood then allegedly dragged the family of four, along with a blood-covered couch and the gun used in the incident, to his fire pit where the contents were burned.
"The defendant informed your affiant he didn’t remember cleaning the interior of the residence, but if he did clean, then he would have disposed of the towels and/or cleaning items into the fire," the affidavit said.
Despite Atwood’s story of self-defense, detectives said their investigation led them to believe Atwood caused the premeditated murder of Phillip Zilliot and Mancini and then tried to conceal it by discarding the evidence.
"During a post-Miranda interview, the defendant admitted to involvement in the death of both adult victims, and he admitted to knowledge that both juveniles [Phillip Zilliot III and Karma Zilliot] were also burned in the same fire pit," the affidavit said.
The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office said Atwood was charged with first-degree murder and that other charges are pending as the investigation continues.
The remains have not yet been formally identified.
Atwood pleaded not guilty. He is being held without bond, according to court records.