‘Evil in the flesh’: 3 arrested in Polk County massacre of 3 fishing buddies

Deputies have arrested two men and a woman in a weekend massacre of three fishing buddies in Frostproof, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Wednesday.

The best friends were killed not far from a spot they picked out for some night fishing.

Judd said the victims — Damion Tillman, 23, Keven Springfield, 30, and Brandon Rollins, 27 — were found dead near their two trucks Friday near U.S. Highway 27.

On Monday, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested Tony Wiggins, 26 of Lake Wales. The following day Mary Whittemore, 27, of Lake Wales, and Wiggins’ brother, Robert Wiggins, 21, were arrested, Sheriff Judd said.

Tony Wiggins faces three felony charges of murder in the first degree. Whittemore and Robert Wiggins are facing three counts of accessory to murder and one count of tampering with evidence, Judd said.

The day after the murders were reported, PCSO received hundreds of tips from the community regarding Tony Wiggins, who has accumulated hundreds of felony charges in his lifetime, Judd said.

“This is evil incarnate,” Judd said of Tony Wiggins. “His criminal history should shock your conscience. It shocks mine. He was first arrested at 12, and has had 230 felony criminal charges in his arrest history. … He’s a thug. He’s a criminal. He is pure evil in the flesh.”

While the tips were helpful, what ultimately led detectives to Tony Wiggins was a Dollar General bag found in Tillman’s truck, the sheriff’s office said.

Detectives reviewed video surveillance from the store which showed the Wiggins brothers at 9:56 p.m. Friday standing behind Tillman in the checkout. Whittemore was also determined to be in the store, the sheriff’s office said.

A later interrogation of Robert Wiggins revealed that Tillman explained to the cashier he was on his way to a fishing trip with Springfield, Judd said.

The sheriff’s office said Robert Wiggins told his brother about Tillman’s plans to meet Springfield, and that Tony Wiggins decided to follow Tillman to the lake accompanied by Robert Wiggins and Whittemore.

They arrived tailing Tillman to an area where Springfield and Rollins were sitting in another truck, authorities said, adding that Tony Wiggins got out of his vehicle and was met by Rollins, whom he pushed to the ground and pointed a 9mm handgun at.

Authorities said Tony Wiggins then noticed the driver of the truck was Springfield, and ran to Springfield, pointed the gun at him and screamed “Where’s my truck?”

According to a narrative provided by the sheriff’s office:

Springfield told him he wasn’t sure what Tony Wiggins was talking about, but Tony Wiggins insisted that Springfield stole his truck’s engine and sold it. Tillman exited his vehicle and tried to interfere but Tony Wiggins fired nine to 10 shots at Springfield and Rollins, Judd said. He then turned and fired on Tillman, Judd said.

At 10:06 p.m. Tillman called his father asking for help. His father was able to find him, but Tillman died before first responders arrived.

Investigators with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement tested shell casings at the scene.

Lab results confirmed the casings matched a single 9mm casing found Monday in Tony Wiggins’ trailer, officials said.

Judd said that when questioned, Whittemore and Robert Wiggins lied to authorities repeatedly about where Tony Wiggins was that night. The only common thread their stories shared at first was that the three of them had gone to a McDonald’s to order 10 double cheeseburgers and two McChickens.

Judd said his goal is capital punishment.

“[Tony Wiggins] should have a fair trial. He should have the appropriate appeals, and then he should be executed,” Judd said. “Legally we can’t execute him the same way he execute those three guys who were just trying to fish on Friday night. Nor would we suggest that the system be as barbaric as his conduct toward our three victims.”

Anyone interested in donating to the families of the victims can do so by visiting PCSO’s website, or they can send a physical contribution to to “Polk Sheriff’s Charities, Inc.” and write “Frostproof Homicide Victims’ families” in the memo line. The address is 1891 Jim Kenne Blvd. Winter Haven, Fl. 33880.