In a recent development following the tragic death of 42-year-old Kelli Fisher, a St. Petersburg man has been charged with her murder, her remains were found inside a burned home in July, which led to a community-wide search and family appeals for information on her whereabouts; The St. Petersburg Police Department announced the arrest of the 23-year-old suspect, Ivan Edward, who was already in custody on unrelated charges.
According to WFLA, Fisher was last seen on July 16 before her car was discovered abandoned two days later in an empty lot, these events precipitated the investigation that led authorities to the grisly discovery of her stab-marked remains in the aftermath of a house fire on Prescott Street South, where Edward, who was known to the victim and her family, had become the prime suspect in the heinous crime. Edward's previous arrest on July 29 for auto theft and armed burglary was before the discovery.
Speaking with WTSP, authorities shared that an emotional plea from Fisher's family on July 30 aimed to elicit new information, however, a medical examiner verified soon afterward that the body found was indeed Fisher's, who suffered multiple stab wounds before the blaze was set. Officials did not detail a suspected motive for the crime.
Additional details from FOX 13 News reveal the remains were found in a different home on Prescott Street South, right next door to where Fisher was last seen alive and the property also belonged to her family, the house had sustained a kitchen fire which prompted the subsequent discovery of Fisher's remains. Investigators have not revealed how Edward became the main suspect.
