PPPD - Murder Arrest

On August 3rd, 2007, officers responded to a vacant office located at 4075 Park Blvd, in Pinellas Park. This office is located on the vacant mobile home park property, formally known as the Paradise Mobile Home Park, property now owned by the City of Pinellas Park. The complaint was received by a phone call to police that there was a deceased male in the vacant office. The caller, Tim Perry, remained at the scene and identified the body as his friend, James M. Potter.

The victim James Potter and the friend that found him are both homeless according to the friend. They both would find work through Able Body Labor. The last time Perry saw Potter alive was August 1st at Able Body. Both were using this vacant office as a place to sleep and had been doing this for some time. Perry left for a couple days to work and returned to the office on August 2nd about 9:30 PM to spend the night. He saw Potter laying on the floor, it was dark inside and he figured Potter was asleep. Perry went to sleep without disturbing Potter. In the morning after awakening, Perry went over to Potter and discovered Potter was not responding so Perry went to a nearby pay phone and called 911.

Detectives and the medical examiner responded to the scene. Potter had injuries to his arms and back of his head. Interviews with associates of Potter revealed that Potter was a heavy drinker. The body was removed from the scene and taken to the Medical Examiners office for autopsy.

On August 18th, 2007, a homeless man, (not being identified at this time because he fears for his safety) came to the police station to provide information to detectives about this case. The witness said that he was with Potter and another homeless person named Kevin Fear on either 8/1 or 8/2 in the vacant office drinking beer. The witness states he saw Potter and Fear engaged in an argument over bedding resulting in Fear punching Potter in the side of the head causing Potter to fall. The witness says Potter hit his head on the concrete floor when he fell. Potter then sat up against the wall but was bleeding from his mouth and nose. The witness left the room at this time leaving Fear and Potter in the office. The witness left because he did not want to get in trouble with the police.

With this information, Detective Ken Blessing obtained an arrest warrant on September 7th, 2007 for Kevin Fear for Murder in the 2nd degree, for punching Potter in the head resulting in his death. Kevin Fear was located by Detective Blessing in St. Petersburg walking along 4th Street. Fear was arrested without incident and taken to the Pinellas County Jail. Fear made no admissions. Bond was set at $750,000. The autopsy report on James Potter is pending.

Click here for Booking photo of Kevin Fear

Auth: S. A. Forseth

This is the official site for the City of Pinellas Park, Florida, U.S.A.
This site best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher,
at a minimum screen resolution of 800 x 600.