Richard Elijah Neely Obituary, Death – A father and his teenage son have been taken into custody in connection with the stabbing death of a man whose body was discovered in a shallow pond earlier this year in Martin County. The Martin County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrests of Richard Elijah Neely, 54, and his 16-year-old son on Tuesday. They are charged in relation to the death of Leodere Verdisca.
Verdisca’s body was found in March in a pond located in a natural preserve area at the intersection of Southeast Willoughby Boulevard and Southeast Cove Road. After identifying the body, detectives spent several weeks collecting evidence, which occasionally took them out of state.
Investigators revealed that Verdisca was known to both Neely and his son. They believe the motive for the killing was a debt owed by Verdisca to Richard Neely. According to the sheriff’s office, Richard Neely fatally stabbed Verdisca over the money he owed. The son is alleged to have assisted in disposing of the body, which was left in the pond for several days before being discovered.
Richard Neely has been charged with murder, while his son faces a charge of accessory after the fact. Both are being held in the Martin County jail without bond.