William Tempesta: Body of Florida man with criminal history found near rural road in West Palm Beach
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA: William Tempesta, a 56-year-old Deltona resident, was found murdered along a rural road in West Palm Beach, South Florida.
Police have described Tempesta as being 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 190 pounds. He had salt-and-pepper hair and a beard at the time of his discovery.
He was dressed in blue jeans and a black-and-gray T-shirt and was found with a set of car keys, according to information provided by the police.
Tempesta's body was found when a passerby driving along 45th Street and Jog Road contacted 911 to report the sighting. "There's a man laying in the grass there with no shirt on," the caller told the 911 dispatcher, according to CBS.
How did William Tempesta die?
Tempesta had been fatally shot, and investigators believe that he was murdered at a different location before his body was left along the roadside.
The police did not disclose the specific locations on his body where the bullets struck him or the total number of gunshot wounds he sustained.
Officers located his dead body in the 5900 block of North Jog Road, situated between the entrance to the Ironhorse subdivision and Florida's Turnpike, as confirmed by the West Palm Beach Police Department.
"It's kind of a rural area. It doesn't appear that the man was killed there. He was dumped," police spokesman Mike Jachles said.
Because he did not have any identification on him, law enforcement officers were able to identify him through fingerprint analysis.
The Palm Beach County Medical Examiner's Office is slated to conduct an autopsy to officially determine both the cause and the time of Tempesta's death.
Residents shocked over crime near their gated community
Residents of Ironhorse, the gated community near where the crime occurred, have expressed shock and disbelief that such a heinous crime could take place in close proximity to their neighborhood.
"I think that's, that's just horrible. This is usually, really a quiet residential area. We're pretty much the only residential community right here on Jog Road," said Elizabeth Morello, an Ironhorse resident.
Another resident, Will Sainvil, was asked whether this incident made him question the safety of their neighborhood.
"Of course. When something like that happens, that's the first thing that happens. You think about your own family and the safety of your family," he said. "A gate doesn't really mean you're secure," he added.
Authorities are actively seeking information that may aid in identifying potential suspect(s) in this tragic incident.
If you have any information regarding the victim, unusual activity, or a vehicle in the area on the night of September 10, please contact Detective Regina Wood at 561-822-1698. You can also report tips anonymously to Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County at 1-800-458-TIPS (8477) or online at www.crimestopperspbc.com. Your information can be crucial to the investigation, and there is a cash reward of up to $3,000 for information leading to an arrest.