Sheriff Scott reveals how Sievers murder suspect was linked to crime

FORT MYERS, Fla.- Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott revealed for the first time how law enforcement linked Missouri man Wayne Wright to the murder of Bonita Springs Dr. Teresa Sievers.

Wayne Wright and Jimmy Rodgers are both currently sitting behind bars in Missouri, accused of killing Doctor Teresa Sievers.

Rodgers was caught at a Wal-Mart on Six Mile Cypress Parkway in Fort Myers, the night before Sievers’ murder, setting his arrest in motion.

For the first time, we are hearing he wasn’t alone. Sheriff Scott says Wright was with him.

Sheriff Scott says evidence, including surveillance, helped deputies pin them down.

“We know precisely what they purchased and again it’s part of the ongoing investigation,” said Scott.

Wright is a childhood friend of Sievers’ husband Mark. When asked how Rodgers is connected to the Sievers, Sheriff Scott said, “We are not speaking specifically to that.”

Scott was further asked if LCSO had established a connection between Rodgers and Sievers. He said, “we have established many connections between many people in this investigation.”

Last week, Rodger’s neighbor in Missouri told us she has spotted Mark Sievers at the trailer before.

“Not much I can say about that, the lady has spoken. She said what she said,” said Scott.

Scott was asked whether tolls, financial transactions, and cell phone activity played a part in catching the men.

“I spoke broadly to what I referred to as a digital footprint, day and age we are in. Cellular activity and the like, we retraced steps,” said Scott.

Wright’s attorney said Thursday the sheriff’s office doesn’t have enough to charge his client.

“I assure you I know more about the case than he does. I know more about the evidence than he does. There’s a reason the warrant was signed in the first place,” said Scott.

Scott also could not confirm nor deny whether someone else was in the home at the time of the murder.

However, Scott did confirm that his office was involved in a SWAT raid of Wright’s trailer in Hillsboro, Missouri on July 12.

“We were there, we were part of it. The reason for the raid was our investigation. We won’t speak to what was taken there or what was done there,” said Scott.

WINK News also spoke Rodgers’ foreman at his construction job in Cadet, Missouri. Jeff Conway said Rodgers’ told him directly why and how he was in Florida the days surrounding Sievers’ murder.

“He told me his brother had invited him to a Florida for the weekend… they just wanted to get together and kind is celebrate his brother’s graduation from law school. He said his brother was paying for the whole trip,” Conway told WINK News.

WINK News has been in constant contact with Rodgers’ brother ever since news of the arrests broke. He told us he had no knowledge of any trip to Florida his brother ever made. In fact, Rodgers’ brother hasn’t even graduated law school yet.

Scott says they continue to investigate, and that they will bring Wright and Rodgers back to Florida, even if they are kicking and screaming.

Wright is currently in the Jefferson County Jail, and has an extradition hearing at the end of the month.

Rodgers is in a federal Missouri prison. He was sentenced to six months Thursday for violating his federal probation by being in Florida.