St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office arrests suspect in homicide of homeless man | St. Lucie County

FORT PIERCE – An arrest was made by St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office deputies on May 29 in the homicide of a homeless man found in a tent encampment in the 2600 block of Rolyat Street, Fort Pierce on May 25, according to a Facebook posting by the sheriff’s office.

Zachary Ryan Edwards, 30, a homeless resident of Fort Pierce, was arrested on May 29 and is in the St. Lucie County Jail on a first-degree murder charge, according to the Facebook posting.

He is being held on no bond on that charge and on another charge of fraud/impersonation, using or possessing I.D. of another person without consent, according to jail records.

At about 10:20 a.m., May 25, road patrol deputies responded to 2600 block of Rolyat Street, Fort Pierce in reference to a deceased individual inside a tent encampment. On May 26, the county medical examiner’s office ruled the death as a homicide. The victim was subsequently identified as Carl Leonard Smith, 63, of Fort Pierce, according to the Facebook posting.

Through numerous witness interviews and review of surveillance footage, detectives developed probable cause to arrest Edwards for fraudulent misuse of an EBT card.

A BOLO was subsequently issued, and deputies with the Patrol Operations Bureau, along with detectives from the Criminal Investigations Division and Special Investigations Division actively searched for Edwards.

On May 29, at approximately 10:15 p.m., Deputy Bradley Bell of the Patrol Operations Bureau located Edwards in the 400 block of Brown Court. Edwards was taken into custody without incident.

“This arrest is the result of relentless teamwork and coordination among our Patrol Operations Bureau, Criminal Investigations Division, Special Investigations Division, Crime Scene Unit, and supporting personnel,” said Sheriff Richard Del Toro. “I commend the dedication and professionalism of everyone involved in bringing this case to a swift resolution. While an arrest has been made, our thoughts and prayers remain with the family and loved ones of Carl Smith as they mourn this tragic loss. We remain committed to seeking justice on their behalf.”

The investigation remains active and anyone with additional information related to this case is asked to the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division at 772-462-3230 or submit information at CrimeInfo@stluciesheriff.gov.