The night before police found Adam Hilarie dead in his kitchen, the 27-year-old Central Florida father went bowling with a woman he met through the online dating site PlentyOfFish, Auburndale police said Monday.
They went back to his place, and she texted him later: I had a good time and would like to see you again.
She saw him the next night, when on Friday she brought three men to rob Hilarie of TVs, an Xbox and an iPhone, and one of them shot him in the head, Deputy Chief Andy Ray said at a news conference.
"In cases like this, it's easy for us to put ourselves in the shoes of the family," Ray said, as he detailed the arrest of four people in connection with the killing — including 18-year-old Hailey Bustos, who went on the date with him.
http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bb3946/turbine/os-murder-robbery-online-dating-20160822-002/400/400x225
"Hilarie was begging for his life, he was not putting up any kind of fight, and was telling them that he had a 5-year-old daughter," according to arrest reports.
Investigators got a break in the case after a witness reported seeing Hilarie with a young woman Thursday night, and Winter Haven police picked up Bustos in a separate burglary.
Police said she was paid $50 to arrange the robbery.
Ray warned prospective users to run internet searches on their dates before meeting up and also to retain a healthy amount of suspicion. He advised against bringing dates home after the first meet-up.
Murder suspects
http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bb372c/turbine/os-murder-robbery-online-dating-20160822-001/400/400x225
From top left: Andre Warner, Joshua Ellington, Hailey Bustos and Gary Gray have been arrested in connection with the murder of Adam Hilarie. (Auburndale Police Department)
"You just have to remember, you have no idea who you are talking to," he said. "They may present themselves as one thing and be someone totally different."
Hilarie posted multiple photos of his daughter on his Facebook page, calling her "Princess."
They went back to his place, and she texted him later: I had a good time and would like to see you again.
She saw him the next night, when on Friday she brought three men to rob Hilarie of TVs, an Xbox and an iPhone, and one of them shot him in the head, Deputy Chief Andy Ray said at a news conference.
"In cases like this, it's easy for us to put ourselves in the shoes of the family," Ray said, as he detailed the arrest of four people in connection with the killing — including 18-year-old Hailey Bustos, who went on the date with him.
http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bb3946/turbine/os-murder-robbery-online-dating-20160822-002/400/400x225
"Hilarie was begging for his life, he was not putting up any kind of fight, and was telling them that he had a 5-year-old daughter," according to arrest reports.
Investigators got a break in the case after a witness reported seeing Hilarie with a young woman Thursday night, and Winter Haven police picked up Bustos in a separate burglary.
Police said she was paid $50 to arrange the robbery.
Ray warned prospective users to run internet searches on their dates before meeting up and also to retain a healthy amount of suspicion. He advised against bringing dates home after the first meet-up.
Murder suspects
http://www.trbimg.com/img-57bb372c/turbine/os-murder-robbery-online-dating-20160822-001/400/400x225
From top left: Andre Warner, Joshua Ellington, Hailey Bustos and Gary Gray have been arrested in connection with the murder of Adam Hilarie. (Auburndale Police Department)
"You just have to remember, you have no idea who you are talking to," he said. "They may present themselves as one thing and be someone totally different."
Hilarie posted multiple photos of his daughter on his Facebook page, calling her "Princess."
