Platt Shooting is Temple Terrace’s 1st Homicide in 5 Years

after a shooting at Tuesday, which resulted in the death of , 31, of Lutz.

“It’s pretty shocking,” said Temple Terrace resident Jamie Robe, of the incident in which the suspect is still at large.

Temple Terrace sees its share of auto and home burglaries, but rarely are crimes here violent. It’s been nearly five years since the last homicide occurred in the community, according to city officials.

On Oct. 11, 2007, Stanley Larry Telfare of 7711 Sumter Court in Temple Terrace, struck his former lover, Elalia D. Walker, in front of the Orange River Estates community clubhouse and put her into a van at about 9:55 p.m.

Hours later, he took her to her home at 2910 N. 56th St. in Tampa, where family members discovered she was injured and called Tampa police.

Telfare, a custodian at Blake High School, was taken to the Hillsborough County jail.

Walker, a secretary at Blake, died Oct. 18, 2007, at Tampa General Hospital as a result of the injuries she sustained while trying to escape Telfare a week earlier. She was 40 years old.

Telfare, who was 46 years old at the time, was charged with first-degree murder in Walker’s death on Oct. 19, 2007. He was also charged with felony battery and kidnapping with intent to harm or terrorize.

He was convicted of second-degree murder and false imprisonment on Feb. 19, 2009, and was sentenced to life in prison four months later.

Unlike Walker’s death in which police had a suspect, Platt’s killer has not been identified. He is described as a black male, about 6-feet-4-inches tall, according to police. He was wearing black clothing and a ski mask at the time of the shooting.

Platt had been visiting a relative at the apartment complex at 8575 Montravail Circle. The two had gone out overnight, and as they returned to the complex at about 4:50 Tuesday morning, the shooter appeared in the breezeway near the elevator, according to a City of Temple Terrace press release.

After a verbal confrontation ensued, the shooter pulled a handgun and fired, hitting and killing Platt, the release states.

 for information that leads to the identification and arrest of the suspect.

Anyone with any information regarding the identity and whereabouts of the suspect who wants to be eligible for a cash reward can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477), report anonymously online at www.crimestopperstb.com, text “CSTB plus your tip” to 274637 (CRIMES) or send a mobile tip using the “Tipsubmit Mobile” application, which is a free download for iPhones, iPads and Droids.

Those with information pertaining to this crime can also call Temple Terrace police at 813-989-7110.

Are you worried about your safety with the gunman still at large? and tell us in the comments.

See also: