Detective Fire - It had been established that Detective Fire had been employed with the Clearwater Police Department for 16 years. That he had been called at home to come to the station to take over the investigation of the murder. When he arrived at the station he was informed as to what transpired. He received information about a suspect from the initial officer on the scene, which included a description and the name of Milo Rose. The description he said he received was of an Indian-looking male, dark complexioned, shoulder length black hair, a full beard, wearing a black T-shirt with white design and lettering on it and a pair of blue jeans. That when he and the initial officer arrived at the duplex where the suspect was reported to live, he went to the first floor apartment and the officer went to the second floor. That when he knocked on the door a lady answered - who he did not know at the time was the victim's mother. He asked her if Milo Rose lived there and was told yes and that he was sleeping. He said that the woman invited him in and he followed her up to the bedroom. That when she turned the light on he saw the suspect asleep on the bed. He could see that the suspect fit the description he had been given. So he woke the suspect and asked him his name. The suspect said, "Milo Rose". Fire then said he stood the suspect up and placed him under arrest. The suspect asked what he was being arrested for and was told by Fire that he would tell him at the police station.
Fire then transported the suspect to the station. There was no conversation on the way to the station. At the station the suspect was read his Miranda rights before being questioned. He was asked if he knew the victim and responded that he did - he was then asked if he and the victim had been drinking together that evening at Mono's Bar. The suspect responded that they had. But when the suspect was asked where else they had been drinking, he denied being anywhere else with the victim. Stating that the victim left the Bar and that was the last he saw of him. Fire went on to say that the suspect told him about the victim had been fighting with another man at Mono's Bar. That while he was breaking up the fight he was punched on the nose and that is where the blood on his person and clothing came from. Fire said he then asked the suspect where he went after leaving Mono's and the suspect said he went upstairs to an apartment above Mono's where he drank some champagne with the couple that live above him on Clearwater Beach. But he couldn't remember the apartment number or the name of the girl whose apartment it was. That after a few drinks he rode home with the couple that live above him.
Fire asked if in fact that couple had picked him up while hitchhiking and the suspect denied that. Fire stated that when he confronted the suspect with the facts the couple had given him, the suspect responded that the couple were liars but couldn't explain why they would lie. That at that time the suspect said, " you have already found me guilty, I don't have anything else to say, take me where you have to take me!" And that was the end of the questioning.
The blood samples were taken by the technician and his photo taken by Detective Lushen before he was transported to the Pinellas County Jail, where his clothes were taken so that lab tests could be taken so that lab tests could be conducted on the blood stains. Fire was asked about the procedure of taking the blood samples off the suspect at the police station. He responded that the technician had taken one cotton swab and took several samples with it, which was wrong and created a mixing of the blood. Then the clothes were presented as evidence and shown to the Jury.
My trial attorney tried to show that the alibi couple had reason to lie. That they had knowledge only the killer would have. But he would not be able to fully explore that because the Judge would state the witnesses were not lying. He also questioned Fire about the possibility of the blood being from a bloody nose on the clothing. But Fire was unable to answer. My attorney did bring out the fact that I had maintained my innocence the whole time I was being questioned. Then the state's attorney asked Fire a few more questions about the initial description he had received from the police officer and about the blood samples being mixed. He also asked Fire if the alibi witnesses had reason to lie. With Fire stating, No! Detective Fire presented himself as a strong compelling witness. He had made a good arrest and all the evidence was overwhelming as to guilt. Case closed! ...