POLK COUNTY, Fla. — New video evidence obtained by the Polk County Sheriff Office has lead to the arrests of two suspects in the murder case of missing 21-year-old Ethan Fussell.
While Fussell's body is still missing, the two suspects first in custody, Talon Page, 25, and Adonai Moran-Rivera, 21, have officially been charged with murder after Sheriff Grady Judd said his department found video evidence of them beating the victim.
"We found video evidence where Ethan was beaten severely," Judd said. "We're not going to further describe that just to spare the family."
Fussell was last seen on Driggers Road in Lakeland where he had gotten into an argument with Page. Judd said Fussell considered Page his "brother," and best friend.
Investigators originally located a "significant" amount of blood at the crime scene, a mobile home on Driggers Road, but didn't have enough evidence for charges until Wednesday.
Judd said the carpet was cut out of the floor in the mobile home, and Page's car is missing, leading investigators to believe that Fussell may be wrapped in the carpet inside Page's car somewhere in the area.
"This car is missing, Ethan is missing," the sheriff said. "After they beat Ethan to death... they cut the carpet out. So we're confident Ethan is wrapped up in this carpet, possibly in this car."
Judd said a $5,000 reward is available to anyone who can lead officers to the vehicle, which is described as a grey/silver 2000 Lexus 400 with Florida tag CC02IL. It was last seen on May 13 heading east on I-4 in Lakeland.