POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Three people who were arrested on charges related to killing three friends who met up for a fishing trip in Polk County last week had their first appearance hearings Thursday afternoon.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said Tony “TJ” Wiggins, 26, and his girlfriend, Mary Whittemore, 27, and Tony’s brother, William “Robert” Wiggins, 21, were all arrested this week on charges related to the deaths of 23-year-old Damion Tillman, 30-year-old Keven Springfield and 27-year-old Brandon Rollins.
Tony Wiggins faces three counts of first-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence. He has been placed on no bail.
Robert Wiggins faces three counts of accessory after the fact and tampering with physical evidence. Mary Whittemore faces three counts of accessory after the fact.
Watch their first appearances below:
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More details: Three friends murdered en route to Florida fishing trip
In a press conference Wednesday, Sheriff Grady Judd detailed the timeline of what happened on Friday night that led to the massacre near a lake in rural Frostproof. He said Tillman stopped at a Dollar General on his way to meet his friends, where security camera footage captured him having a brief conversation with Tony.
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Judd said Tillman told the cashier that he was meeting his friend Kevin to go fishing. Ten minutes later, Judd said Tillman and his two friends were all shot and dying.
Tony, his brother and girlfriend followed Tillman to the lakeside where Tony confronted Kevin selling a truck engine before beating him and then opening fire, killing all three friends, according to Judd.
Judd said the details regarding the sold truck engine accusation are still under investigation, but referred to it as a possible civil, not criminal matter.
According to Judd, Tony, Robert and Whittemore all lived off the grid in a rural area near Frostproof and Lake Wales.