On December 28, 2022, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Puerto Rico Police Department arrested 23-year-old Jeremy Otero Marrero of Lake Wales on a Polk County Warrant for First Degree Murder.

The warrant is the result of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office investigation of the murder of 35-year-old Luis Contreras Marrero ofLake Wales, who was fatally shot around 11:30 p.m. Christmas Eve, December 24, 2022, at his home in the Enchanted Grove Mobile Home Park on North Scenic Highway in unincorporated Lake Wales. Detectives arrested 23-year-old Fernando Vega Mangual of Dundee for providing False Information during a Capital Felony Investigation (F3) and 30-year-old Tasha Cintron of Lake Wales for providing False Information during a Criminal Investigation (M1) during the initial stages of the investigation. Both Magual and Cintron lied to and misled detectives during the investigation.

Jeremy Otero Marrero is the victim’s brother. Marrero is currently being held in Puerto Rico and will be extradited to Polk County.

“Our detectives did a great job putting together the information and evidence to arrest Marrero. We sincerely appreciate the professionalism of the Puerto Rican Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service in helping to bring Marrero to justice.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

The PCSO Emergency Communications Center (ECC) received a 911 call at 9:02 p.m. on December 25^th, where the caller reported finding a dead person at a residence in Enchanted Grove Mobile Home Park. When deputies arrived, they found Contreras Marrero deceased and lying just inside the front door of his residence with a gunshot wound. 

Through their investigation, deputies discovered that two men, Magual and Marrero, left a gathering at Marrero’s house and traveled to the Enchanted Grove Mobile Home Park, where Marrero shot his brother, killing him. 

Detectives later found evidence in Marrero’s vehicle linking him to the murder. Both men have made admissions linking them to the homicide.

by James Coulter

Twas the week before Christmas, and the folks at Lake Wales Wellness Rehab received an early Christmas treat. Students from the Interact Club at Lake Wales High School arrived to deliver stockings filled with Christmas gifts and treats.

Two students and two teachers arrived on Thursday afternoon to deliver 75 stockings filled with small toys, activity books, hand lotion, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and other toiletries. The stockings had been funded and stuffed by members of the club within the past month.

The Interact Club decided to donate to the Rehab Center due to its proximity to the high school. This is their second year participating in the student-driven project. They contacted the center to inquire about items patients needed, and the students donated the items to place into stockings and distribute them to the patients in the center.

The club members had planned to donate over the past week, but the high school football championship game delayed their plans until recently, explained Micky Caban, LWHS teacher and Interact Club sponsor.

“The residents enjoyed us coming in and delivering the stockings,” she said. “We want to do it again this year.”

The Interact Club serves as a daughter club to the Rotary Club, with it being sponsored by the Lake Wales Breakfast Rotary and the New Rotary Club of Lake Wales. Their mission, as exemplified in their motto “Service Above Self,” is to encourage students to participate in their local community through community service projects.

“It gives our students the ability to give back to the community in a way they normally cannot do or not have the ability to do,” Caban said. “They have a chance to choose these gifts themselves…it gives them a sense of purpose and the fact that they are contributing to the community and the fact they put their own money into this, it gives you a sense of purpose, too.”

The Interact Club has participated in other community projects and activities from the annual Christmas parade to special occasions such as Pioneer Days and Make It Magical. Recently, they partnered with the Lake Wales Heritage Foundation to plant trees downtown.

“The collaboration of the students, this is part of growing up to see people who are civil-minded and giving back to the community,” said Lauren Lightsy, teacher and club sponsor. “They have not had the opportunity to invest in the community in those ways, it is easy for them to network and get out of their shells and talk to people they would never speak to before.”

Sklyer Eppes, 18, has been participating in the club since her freshman year. Though COVID-19 made her sophomore year difficult, she has since climbed the social ladder to her current position as club president, permitting her to help organize club events and projects.

She likes interacting with people in the club and the community and forming relationships with them. She appreciates being able to reach out to people in her hometown and assist them with their needs.

“I would say Interact Club helped me with communication skills [and to] take on more responsibilities,” she said. “I love that we can give back to the nursing homes and give back to the community.”

Devon Zenteno, 18, was inspired to join the club by his sister, who had also been a member when she was in high school. With this being his second year, he appreciates being able to give back to the local community and helping it with local projects.

“We do a lot of things to give back as students [like] visiting the elderly,” he said. “Being in Interact Club is time-consuming [with] managing school work and projects. I think this is a great project and we are glad to give back, especially around Christmastime.”

by James Coulter

After winning the state championship earlier that week, the Lake Wales Highlanders were treated to breakfast on the house at Lake Wales Family Restaurant on Friday morning.

Most of the football players from Lake Wales High School arrived at the local diner on Friday where they were served breakfast courtesy of the former owner.

The Lake Wales Highlanders achieved victory at the state championship playing against the Daytona Mainland and winning 32-30.

“We are grateful,” Head Coach Tavaris Johnson said. “We truly are a community, and I am just thankful for homegrown Highlanders. We are truly thankful for Family Restaurant has reached out to share in this moment.”

Joining the football players that morning were several city commissioners including the mayor, all of whom offered words of encouragement to the players for achieving their victory.

“We are proud of you Lake Wales Highlanders,” said Lake Wales Mayor Jack Hilligoss. “From now on, you will be known as the Lake Wales History Makers. I told Coach Johnson this will not be the last state championship team. We appreciate you all for representing us.”

Even the Chief of the Lake Wales Police Department, Chief Chis Rodriguez, attended the breakfast that morning to commend the football players on a job well done.

“I am so proud of this community and so proud of these young men,” he said. “This is something they will never forget, that we will always be proud of them for, and we are here to honor them today and tell them congratulations and have a Merry Christmas.”

Frank Papadopoulos, the former owner of the Lake Wales Family Restaurant, retired two years ago. While he enjoys retirement, he misses being able to interact with his customers daily. His eatery has served breakfast for the Highlanders during their home games, and now he wanted to do something special again to celebrate them becoming state champions.

“This is another way to say thank you for them and congratulate them, and also wish them a Merry Christmas and how proud we are of them,” he said. “It is a tremendous honor, something big Lake Wales has never had before. We are proud of the kids and the coaches and the school.”

Lakeland, Florida – The Lakeland Police Department has confirmed a suspect is being sought for shooting two people Monday night. The shooting took place at Providence Reserve Loop which is where Providence Reserve Apartments is located. This is in the The shooting took place in the outdoor area of the complex.

According to Robin Tillet, Lakeland Police Public Information Officer, officers were dispatched “shortly after 5:35pm”. “Two adult victims were located (unknown gender and age at this time)” per Tillet. Both victims were in critical condition.

Suspect fled the scene and has not been located yet per Tillet. Officers secured the location and are still at scene securing evidence and interviewing possible witnesses

We will update as more information is released.

Police Searching for Armed Burglary Suspect

On Friday December 23, 2022 a theft of several firearms occurred at Loan Star Pawn located at 112 State Road 60 East. 

The suspect, Trenton Shane Tillman, age 25 of Lake Wales was quickly identified as the person taking the guns. Tillman frequents the Lake Wales and Winter Haven areas and is now armed with multiple firearms. 

If you know Tillman’s whereabouts Police are asking you to call 911 immediately. 

If you have information regarding this case that is not an emergencyplease contact Detective Sarah Sittnick at 678-4223. Or, if you would like to stay anonymous and be eligible for a CASH REWARD through Heartland Crime Stoppers:

• Call 1-800-226 TIPS (8477)

• From your cell phone, dial **TIPS

• Visit the website www.heartlandcrimestoppers.com and click on “Submit A Tip,”

• Or download the free “P3tips” app on your smartphone or tablet.

LWHS Interact Club Delivers Stockings to Lake Wales Wellness Rehab

by James Coulter

Twas the week before Christmas, and the folks at Lake Wales Wellness Rehab received an early Christmas treat. Students from the Interact Club at Lake Wales High School arrived to deliver stockings filled with Christmas gifts and treats.

Two students and two teachers arrived on Thursday afternoon to deliver 75 stockings filled with small toys, activity books, hand lotion, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and other toiletries. The stockings had been funded and stuffed by members of the club within the past month.

The Interact Club decided to donate to the Rehab Center due to its proximity to the high school. This is their second year participating in the student-driven project. They contacted the center to inquire about items patients needed, and the students donated the items to place into stockings and distribute them to the patients in the center.

The club members had planned to donate over the past week, but the high school football championship game delayed their plans until recently, explained Micky Caban, LWHS teacher and Interact Club sponsor.

“The residents enjoyed us coming in and delivering the stockings,” she said. “We want to do it again this year.”

The Interact Club serves as a daughter club to the Rotary Club, with it being sponsored by the Lake Wales Breakfast Rotary and the New Rotary Club of Lake Wales. Their mission, as exemplified in their motto “Service Above Self,” is to encourage students to participate in their local community through community service projects.

“It gives our students the ability to give back to the community in a way they normally cannot do or not have the ability to do,” Caban said. “They have a chance to choose these gifts themselves…it gives them a sense of purpose and the fact that they are contributing to the community and the fact they put their own money into this, it gives you a sense of purpose, too.”

The Interact Club has participated in other community projects and activities from the annual Christmas parade to special occasions such as Pioneer Days and Make It Magical. Recently, they partnered with the Lake Wales Heritage Foundation to plant trees downtown.

“The collaboration of the students, this is part of growing up to see people who are civil-minded and giving back to the community,” said Lauren Lightsey, teacher and club sponsor. “They have not had the opportunity to invest in the community in those ways, it is easy for them to network and get out of their shells and talk to people they would never speak to before.”

Sklyer Eppes, 18, has been participating in the club since her freshman year. Though COVID-19 made her sophomore year difficult, she has since climbed the social ladder to her current position as club president, permitting her to help organize club events and projects.

She likes interacting with people in the club and the community and forming relationships with them. She appreciates being able to reach out to people in her hometown and assist them with their needs.

“I would say Interact Club helped me with communication skills [and to] take on more responsibilities,” she said. “I love that we can give back to the nursing homes and give back to the community.”

Devon Zenteno, 18, was inspired to join the club by his sister, who had also been a member when she was in high school. With this being his second year, he appreciates being able to give back to the local community and helping it with local projects.

“We do a lot of things to give back as students [like] visiting the elderly,” he said. “Being in Interact Club is time-consuming [with] managing school work and projects. I think this is a great project and we are glad to give back, especially around Christmastime.”

by James Coulter

From gingerbread houses and Grinches to white and blue winter wonderlands, many local downtown businesses got into the Christmas spirit by decking their halls—or rather, decking their doors!

Four local businesses and organizations were rewarded for their festive doors by becoming winners of the annual Deck the Door Contest hosted by the Lake Wales Chamber of Commerce.

Each of the participating businesses was judged in one of four categories. Dyer Kia won “Most Traditional” for their Christmas scene, Central Florida Health Care won “Most Creative” for their Blue Winter scene, Nesco Resources won “Most Festive” for their gingerbread house with a red door, and Lake Wales Storage won “Most Original” for their Grinch stuck in the chimney.

The Deck the Door contest was started in 2020 to help businesses maintain the holiday spirit even during COVID-19 restrictions, explained Lori Beyer, Executive Director for the Lake Wales Chamber.

“We started it back in 2020 during Covid to keep our members engaged and it caught on so we continued it last year and this year making it an annual contest,” she said.

Denzil James, a health care administrator, wanted his organization to participate in the Chamber’s contest, as Central Florida Health Care was also hosting a similar contest of their own.

Likeka Sierra, a staff member in Central Florida Health Care, decided to decorate their door because so many of their patients had never seen a white Christmas before. She decorated their door with blue Christmas wrapping paper and snowflakes.

“I came up with the theme because there is no winter in Florida snow-wise,” she explained. “The people I talked to have not seen snow, so I brought the snow to Central Florida Health Care.”

Lake Wales Storage featured the Grinch stuck in the fireplace as their door decoration. Manager Patricia “Pattie” Cooper came up with the idea with her daughter, and they both loved the idea.

“It was so fun decorating the door for Christmas,” she said. “She came up with something fun to try to make a few people smile (and so far it seems to be working). I mean, what better place for [the] old Grinch to be than stuck in the fireplace, right? Have a blessed and Merry Christmas!”

Tula Clough, wife of Kia Dyer Manager, Corey, does not fancy herself an artist, yet her door painting of a winter wonderland won her husband’s business the deck the door contest for “most traditional.”

“I was thinking of the Winter Wonderland,” she said. “It feels cool because I do not fancy myself a door artist, but I have been working on painting windows and doors now, and I really like it, it is a fun creative way to get out there.”

by James Coulter

Seniors Terrell James and Jaremiah Anglin, Jr. will be attending the schools of their dreams to study and play now that they officially signed their letters of intent during the Highlanders Signing Day on Thursday evening.

Two seniors from Lake Wales High School were commemorated by family, friends, teachers, and fellow students in the auditorium Thursday morning as the two signed their letters of intent. James will be attending Arkansas State University and Anglin, Jr. will attend the University of Kentucky.

The two boys were joined on stage by their family members as they signed their letters, while their coaches, teachers, and fellow students commended them for their efforts with words of encouragement.

Lake Wales Head Coach Tavaris Johnson expressed his pride for the two graduating seniors, not only for being accepted to their respective schools but also for serving as paragons of student-athletes and showing what the school’s sports program can produce.

“This is the goal for every student-athlete who enters into our program: to be afforded an education [and] to continue their education,” Coach Johnson said. “We just teach [them] every day [about] hard work [and] time. If you put those things together, you will be successful…Again, always giving 100 percent, and that is what has allowed them to be successful.”

James chose to attend Arkansas State University because he felt a strong bond with the school and its student body. He will be studying business and finance, and he has high expectations to eventually make it to the professional leagues, especially the NFL.

“It feels great that God will allow me to come this far,” he said.” I cannot wait to go to state and make an impact on the school. I owe it to God and owe it to my family, everyone came out to support me.”

Anglin, Jr. will be attending the University of Kentucky. He loves the school, and he feels the school loves him back. He also will be studying business. He expects to play hard and eventually reach the national championship before graduating college.

“I cannot wait to get there and get to work,” he said. “My coach said if I put in the work, I put up numbers. And even if they do not feel it, even if I do not make it into football, I will be able to get a degree from the school, and it is a very good school to get a degree from, and I will be set.”

By Allison Williams

Coming soon to Lake Wales is Brake Burger Garage. Owners, Dwayne McQuillen, Mathew Brock and Stephanie Brock, anticipate the restaurant opening very soon. The idea came to McQuillen when he passed the location regularly and always thought that the spot would be the perfect place to have a restaurant. 

“I have lived in Polk County for over 10 years and it was always vacant,” McQuillen said. “One day I drove by and there was a ‘for sale’ sign posted so I gave them a call and we were able to get the deal done. Then we had to come up with a concept so we asked ourselves what is missing in Lake Wales?” Burgers.

McQuillen added, “Obviously “better burger” restaurants are all over with Five Guys, Burger-Fi or other national chains in every town, except Lake Wales.”

His idea was to combine burgers with fresh, hand breaded chicken tenders. These two things together were the start of Brake Burger Garage. 

The location where Brake Burger Garage sits was formally a service/gas station. McQuillen decided to keep this as the theme for the new restaurant. 

The menu will include:

• Fresh Smash Burgers
• Hand Breaded Chicken Tenders
• Chicken Sandwiches

*Stay tuned for menu release

Why choose Brake Burger Garage and what will make it stand out? McQuillen says, “High quality burgers, tenders and chicken sandwiches served in a comfortable, fast casual setting.”

To keep up to date on opening and menu items, follow their Facebook page:

On December 6, 2022, a city owned Ford F-150 pickup was reported stolen from the city wastewater plant located at 840 Henry Street. Sometime during the night on December 5th someone entered the locked compound and stole the 2011 truck. 

On December 21, 2022, officers received information the truck was in the area of Scenic Highway. Officers responded to the area and located the vehicle on South First Street. When a traffic stop was attempted the vehicle fled west on Grove Avenue towards Miami Street then into the Hunt Brothers owned citrus groves to the south. After a brief chase through the groves the vehicle was stopped off of Ray Martin Road where the driver exited and fled on foot. After a brief foot chase, the driver was taken into custody without further incident.

The driver, Christopher Allen Eismon, age 42 of Frostproof, faces numerous criminal charges including vehicle theft, fleeing to elude, resisting an officer, trespass in a citrus grove, driving while license suspended, attaching an unassigned license plate, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Eismon is a career felon with an extensive criminal history including vehicle thefts, burglary, theft, aggravated assault, trespassing and narcotics charges. 

If you have any information regarding this case please contactDetective David Arana at the Lake Wales Police Department at 863-678-4223. Or, if you would like to stay anonymous and be eligible for a CASH REWARD through Heartland Crime Stoppers:

• Call 1-800-226 TIPS (8477)

• From your cell phone, dial **TIPS

• Visit the website www.heartlandcrimestoppers.com and click on “Submit A Tip,”

• Or download the free “P3tips” app on your smartphone or tablet.