Dead Man Found, Tips Sought From Community

Going about his business this morning, May 14, a landscaper for Extra Space Storage on Providence Road in Brandon made a grisly discovery — a man, dead, lying face down in the grass at the north side of the building, on the east side of Providence Road.

The 911 call was received at around 7:30 a.m., according to Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Larry McKinnon, who said the case has turned into a "suspicious death investigation."

• UPDATE (May 15, 10:09 a.m.) — The man found dead has been identified as Wilkin Mieses Baker.

• UPDATE: (May 14, 5:45 p.m.) — The investigation has been ruled a homicide, "due to violent upper-body trauma," according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. Identification of the victim, a 27-year-old black male, was being withheld until notification of the next of kin.

"Right now we don't have enough information to determine if was random or not," he said at the scene, before noon. "I don't want to go beyond that. We should know something within the next few hours."

What is known is that the victim had "upper body trauma," McKinnon said.

"What we need to figure out is who he was, why he was here and how he died," he added. "We don't suspect [the trauma] was self-inflicted. We suspect foul play."

The man is described as a black male, in his 20's or 30's. Once next of kin has been notified, his name will be released.

McKinnon said it is believed the body was not there long before it was discovered. As he put it: "It doesn't look like it was here beyond the last day or so."

At the scence with McKinnon were homicide detectives and crime-scene investigators. Expected shortly was the medical examiner's office, "which will label this as a homicide or not," McKinnon said.

Meanwhile, the community is asked to stay vigilant and to call with any information that might aid in the investigation.

• See attached Brandon Patch video.

"If you saw or heard anything unusual, call us," McKinnon said at the scene, with his back toward the death-scene investigation and the housing units that are in view from the trees beyond the fenced-in area.

"Anytime you have an unexplained death or suspicious death we want the community to remain focused," McKinnon said. "Keep your eyes and ears open until we can determine exactly what happened. Anyone who might have heard or seen anything suspicious in this area during the last 24 hours, they're asked to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office."

Call the office at 813-247-8200.