Man indicted in murder of retired UF professor

Author: Associated Press
Published:
MGN Online

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) – A grand jury has indicted a man who police say murdered a retired University of Florida professor after taking thousands of dollars from him and setting the elderly man’s house on fire.

The Gainesville Sun (http://bit.ly/1HaKSnd ) reports that 38-year-old Stephen Underwood was formally charged Friday with murder, grand theft and destruction of evidence related to the March 4 death of Thomas Oakland.

At first, authorities believed Oakland died in a house fire, but an autopsy showed he’d suffered from blunt force trauma before the blaze.

Police say the 75-year-old Oakland had helped Underwood for years by giving him money as a Good Samaritan.

Police say Oakland recently sought help in ending the relationship, saying he believed he’d been duped by Underwood.

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