After more than 26 years, Sarasota investigators say a long-cold murder case has finally broken open. Kevin Holloway, 55, a Sarasota man, was served with an arrest warrant last Monday and is being held at the Sarasota County Jail without bond in connection with the 1999 killing of Esco Hunter Jr. The arrest follows a fresh review of decades-old evidence by the sheriff’s cold case unit.
On Nov. 30, 1999, deputies were called to a vehicle fire near Myrtle Street and North Orange Avenue. The car was later identified as Hunter’s. The next day, investigators found Hunter’s body less than a mile away near Central Avenue and 43rd Street, and an autopsy determined he had been shot multiple times, according to WWSB.
How detectives reopened the file
As part of a renewed push to prioritize cold cases, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office took another pass at the long-stalled investigation. Detectives went back through witness statements, phone records and physical evidence in the file. According to investigators, new witnesses came forward with “critical insight” that helped establish probable cause, and the latest review involved coordination with the State Attorney’s Office and the medical examiner, Tampa Free Press reports.
Charges and custody
Holloway now faces felony counts of second-degree murder, arson and two counts of tampering with evidence. He was served with an arrest warrant last Monday and remains in jail without bond while detectives and prosecutors continue building the case, per WWSB.
Where to send tips
The sheriff’s Unsolved Crimes page lists Hunter’s case and confirms the original vehicle fire and body discovery locations from 1999. Anyone with information is asked to contact the SCSO Cold Case Unit through the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office or email [email protected].
