FLORIDA: Newtown Thug Shawn Tyson's Gang Member Steven Phelps Out of Prison on Court Order He Was Doing 12 On Attempted Murder Conviction, WTF?

Gang members from Shawn Tyson's crew are back on the streets of Sarasota, Tyson murdered two British Tourists in the Courts housing project in 2011, there appeared to be a second shooter who escaped justice. FLORIDA: Newtown Thug Shawn Tyson's Gang Member Steven Phelps Out of Prison on Court Order He Was Doing 12 years in Prison On Attempted Murder Conviction, WTF? This P.O.S. Steven Phelps was/is linked to the murder of two British tourists in 2011. Steven Fields is most likely the accomplice to Shawn Tyson. 2nd Shooter in British Tourist Murders Still Out There, Two Men at Scene One Conviction With Shawn Tyson. Who is the unsub 2nd shooter who was with Shawn Tyson when British tourists James Cooper and James Kouzaris were murdered in the Newtown Housing projects section of Sarasota Fl on April 16th, 2011 at 2:54 a.m., my money is on Steven Phelps. 

Long time Newtown violent thug Steven R. Phelps Jr., DOB 4/30/1993, age 25, has been released early from State Prison on a technicality, he claimed gun he used in shooting was obtained by the State but never notified him, apparently the gun was found in the hands of another thug who was charged in another crime, WTF? Steven Phelps was sentenced to prison for 12 years in 2013 for 2nd Degree Attempted Murder, he shot his father Steven R. Phelps Sr. ABC7 writes March 12, 2013..Steven Phelps Jr. has been arrested for Attempted Murder and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Phelps was arrested on Tuesday on the 1300 block of 21st Street in Sarasota. The arrest was made by members of the US Marshal’s Service, Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force. Detectives from the Sarasota Police Department and Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office participate in the Fugitive Task Force and were involved in today’s arrest. His arrest is based on a shooting that occurred in the 1500 block of 22nd Street on March 5th. Sarasota Police Officers heard several gunshots and arrived at the scene of the shooting in less than 60 seconds. The officers found a victim bleeding from wounds to his back and shoulder and immediately began providing first aid. EMTs arrived on the scene. Based on the severity of the injuries, the victim was taken to Blake Medical Center. The victim, Steven Phelps Sr., (suspect’s father) was shot two times. The victim advised that his son rode up on a bike and pointed a black semi-automatic handgun at him. His son started shooting (3-4 shots), but those shots missed. At that point the victim thought his son was only trying to scare him. He turned and started to walk away. That is when his son rode up closer to the victim and shot him in the back, causing him to collapse to the ground. Phleps Sr. saw his son riding even closer to him and it was clearly apparent to the victim that his son was trying to shoot him in the head. He moved quickly away and his son fired another shot that struck the victim in the rear right shoulder area.

One of Shawn Tyson's other gang pals Joshua Bane was released from State prison in July 2017 he started shooting people again in Newtown in May of 2018. It's Deja Vu all over again in 2018 Newtown Fl with Shawn Tyson's street gang members back on the streets from prison just like in 2011 and just like in 2010 with the 2nd Line Gang members DeAndre Tunstall, 20, murder, (Young Savage tattoo), John "Chico" Stephens, 19, murder, brothers Torrey, 21, and Xavier Eldridge, 20; Davon Gordon, 23; and Gary Wilder, 21.

Back in 2011, SARASOTA HERLD TRIBUNE May 27th, 2011..SARASOTA COUNTY - Prosecutors investigating the fatal shooting of two British tourists more than a month ago suggested Friday they were on the verge of new breaks in the case. To justify keeping public records in the case sealed, they told a judge they need two more weeks to track down another person and to gather "crucial pieces" of forensic evidence. Details about the evidence and about the person — described as "still at large" — remain secret. Prosecutors said the person was involved or present at the time of the murders. Two gunmen at crime scene; one conviction. Police only solved half of the case with the conviction this week of 17-year-old Shawn Tyson in the murders of two British tourists. All along, witnesses said there were two men who surprised the two drunken Britons on April 16, 2011 when they were shot and killed as they staggered through the public housing complex, and Steven Phelps is at the top of list of suspects.

Court records from the Tyson case name Steven Fields, 19, as possibly being the accomplice. Fields has family in Newtown and has spent most of his teen years behind bars. He was convicted of robbery and aggravated assault when he was 14. When tourists James Cooper and James Kouzaris were murdered, Fields was living with his mother in Tampa. You can search a known gang member with the Florida Department of Corrections website to get a better idea of the specific gang tattoos that occur in your area.

Florida Statutes 874.03 says a criminal street gang is a formal or informal ongoing organization, association, or group of three or more persons who have: A common name or common identifying signs, colors, or symbols. Members or associates who individually or collectedly, engaged in or have engaged in a pattern of youth and street gang activity such as fighting, vandalism, murder, and drug sales.

SARASOTA HERALD TRIBUNE: At trial Murder defendant Shawn Tyson bragged about opening fire on two British tourists after he tried to rob them, a friend said that Tyson told her and another friend that he shot the men — James Cooper, 25, and James Kouzaris, 24 — when they told him they had no money. It will also raise fresh suspicions of accomplices to the botched attempted robbery of the two young Britons, whose bodies were found 40 yards apart after shots rang out in the small hours of the morning. Newtown thug Shawn Tyson idolized gang leader DeAndre Tunstall. Now it has emerged that the tattoo emblazoned on his chest 'SAVAGE' links him to the feared "enforcer" of the Second Line gang, DeAndre Tunstall, responsible for a string of robberies and murders in the Newtown district that includes The Courts. Deandre Tunsstal also has the tattoo 'SAVAGE' and he also has the tattoo YOUNG THUG CUT 2 SKULLS, which appears to refer to Shawn Tyson killing the two British tourists.

Sarasota Police Department. DEANDRE ‘D’ TUNSTALL
Black/Male….SENTENCED TO LIFE
DOB 02/19/90
6’1” height 160 lbs.
2728 Palmadelia Avenue Newtown Fl.
Tattoos of CUT THROAT and YOUNG SAVAGE on forearms. Sent to a rigidly structured program for children with behavior problems and learning disabilities at Oak Park School, Deandre Tunstall used his wits and his fists to stick up both for his older brother and for his best friend, Xavier Eldridge. Looks like Shawn "SAVAGE" Tyson and his gang, which ranged in age from 15 to 25, had picked up where Second Line gang members, led by DEANDRE ‘D’ TUNSTALL had left off. Shawn Tyson had been a student at Oak Park School, which teaches children with communication disorders but also those age 3 to 22 who are not succeeding in traditional classes, same place DEANDRE ‘D’ TUNSTALL went.

Scars, Marks, and Tattoos: DeAndre Tunstall
Type	Location	Description
TATTOO	BACK	GET RICH DIE TRYING
TATTOO	LEFT ARM	BRICKS 6 DICE 2 GUNS FLAMES
TATTOO	LEFT ARM	NOW SAVAGE THROAT
TATTOO	LEFT ARM	RONIKE TOP OF L WRIST
TATTOO	LEFT CHEST	ROSE W/ A ROSE
TATTOO	NECK	SKULL FACE W/BANDANNA
TATTOO	RIGHT ARM	BRICKS 7 DICE 2 GUNS
TATTOO	RIGHT ARM	WILLIE TOP OF WRIST
TATTOO	RIGHT ARM	YOUNG THUG CUT 2 SKULLS FLAMES
TATTOO	RIGHT SHOULDER	CROSS W/RIBBON

SARASOTA ABC-7- May 12th, 2013 Steven R. Phelps Jr was part of teen killer Shawn Tyson's gang. Authorities have arrested a man in connection to the shooting of his own father. Steven R. Phelps Jr. has been arrested for Attempted Murder and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Phelps was arrested on Tuesday on the 1300 block of 21st Street in Sarasota. The arrest was made by members of the US Marshal’s Service, Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force. Detectives from the Sarasota Police Department and Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office participate in the Fugitive Task Force and were involved in today’s arrest.  

Steven Phelps has been released from State prison by a court order:

Current Facility:	OUT OF DEPT. CUSTODY BY COURT ORDER
Current Custody:	CLOSE
Current Release Date:	03/08/2025

Scars, Marks, and Tattoos: Steven Phelps
Type	Location	Description
TATTOO	LEFT CHEST	RIP PICKLE RIP TRAP
TATTOO	LEFT CHEST	SILLY STAR W/ FLAMES
TATTOO	LEFT HAND	BOY
TATTOO	NECK	BBA 5212 050 500
TATTOO	NECK	STARS, 936
TATTOO	RIGHT ARM	LENA
TATTOO	RIGHT CHEST	LIL STAR W/ FLAMES
TATTOO	RIGHT HAND	SOTA

Back in March 2011.....Steven R. Phelps Jr and Curtis Campbell were arrested for an armed robbery on Leon Ave in Newtown in 2011. On March 18th 2011, two robbers put a gun to the head of a man working on an air conditioning unit in the 2400 block of Leon Avenue and demanded his money, with Curtis Campbell shouting “give it up”, they knew he had $950 in cash in his pockets. Sarasota Police arrested Steven Phelps Jr, 17, and Curtis Campbell, 18, for armed robbery. Steven R. Phelps Jr was part of teen killer Shawn Tyson's gang back in 2011 along with Diandrew L. Clarkson, Shawn D. Whitfield, Steven Fields and Joshua J. Bane that terrorized Newtown. Phelps was in prison on the attempted murder conviction until the court order was issued.

Current Prison Sentence History Steven R. Phelps jr:
Offense Date	Offense	Sentence Date	County		Prison Sentence
11/21/2012	FLEE LEO-	06/20/2013	SARASOTA		5YEARS
11/21/2012	COCAINE POS	06/20/2013	SARASOTA		5YEARS
03/05/2013	MURDER ATT.	06/21/2013	SARASOTA		12YEARS

Joshua Bane was released from State prison in July 2017 he started shooting people again in May of 2018. Newtown Thug Joshua J. Bane, DOB 5/12/1986, arrested in 2 of 4 recent shootings, Joshua Bane was a member of Shawn Tyson's gang back in 2011 when 2 British Tourists James Cooper and James Kouzaris were murdered in the Courts, Newtown Fl, initially Joshua Bane had been considered a suspect in their murder. After digging up the 'hidden murder weapon', Joshua Bane sold the Smith/Wesson .22 caliber magnum revolver used in the cold blooded murder of British Tourists James Cooper and James Kouzaris on the street for $50 and spent the money on marijuana, another P.O.S..

Today May 16th, 2018, SARASOTA, FL (WWSB) - Sarasota Police have arrested Joshua J. Bane, 32, in connection to two separate shootings in north Sarasota (NEWTOWN) on Wednesday, May 16. Detectives arrested Bane without incident in the 300 block of Tuttle Avenue in Sarasota. Police say a firearm and ammunition were recovered from the arrest location which will be sent for testing to determine if it was used in the shooting. According to SPD, Bane is still being interviewed by Sarasota Police Detectives and will be charged later this afternoon. Police say Bane is charged with a shooting on May 8th that happened near the intersection of 23rd Street and South Osprey Avenue. Bane is also charged with a shooting on May 13th. That incident happened at Palmadelia Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Way in Sarasota. One man was shot and taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital. All of the victims are expected to survive.

On Monday, May 14, 2018, Sarasota Police Detectives uncovered information which led them to identify a possible suspect in two of the four shootings, Joshua J. Bane, 32 (date of birth 5/12/1986). Newtown thug Joshua Bane has been charged with two counts of 2nd degree murder, Attempted Second-Degree Murder - Florida Statute 782.04(2)  Florida Statute 782.04 prohibits anyone from committing the crime of murder:
1). Florida Statute 782.04(2) HOMICIDE WILFUL KILL-MURDER NOT PREMEDITATED 2ND DEGREE, FIRST DEGREE FELONY
2). Florida Statute 782.04(2) HOMICIDE WILFUL KILL-MURDER NOT PREMEDITATED 2ND DEGREE, FIRST DEGREE FELONY

Scars, Marks, and Tattoos: Joshua J. Bane
Type	Location	Description
TATTOO	FACE	MINNIE, $$,
TATTOO	FACE	BRICKS
TATTOO	LEFT ARM	HOOD RICH
TATTOO	LEFT ARM	AK-47, GLASS, RB, SKULL, MONEY
TATTOO	LEFT ARM	CLOCK, RONNIQUE
TATTOO	LEFT ARM	DICE W/ 4M,PRAYING HANDS, $$, SCALE,
TATTOO	LEFT ARM	STARS, MAN ON CROSS, COINS
TATTOO	LEFT CHEST	MOON W/ CROWN
TATTOO	LEFT HAND	BOY W/ DIAMOND
TATTOO	LEFT HAND	JAMON
TATTOO	NECK	AYLASSA 11/10/2005
TATTOO	NECK	NEW GENERATION JAMALE 4/8
TATTOO	OTHER	KING B CROWN
TATTOO	RIGHT ARM	SOMARION 1986, ALEIN HEAD
TATTOO	RIGHT ARM	DICE W/ 3, PYRAMINDS, HOUR GLASS
TATTOO	RIGHT ARM	STATE, $$
TATTOO	RIGHT ARM	WATCH,
TATTOO	RIGHT CHEST	SKULL W/ HAT
TATTOO	RIGHT HAND	RICH DIAMOND
TATTOO	RIGHT HAND	SELF MADE
TATTOO	STOMACH	SMILE NOW CRY LATER DRAMA MASK
TATTOO	STOMACH	STARS, DICE

Another member of Shawn Tyson's gang in 2011, Shawn D. Whitfield Jr, is out of State prison and back on the streets of Newtown. SARASOTA HERALD TRIBUNE May 15, 2013, Shawn D. Whitfield Jr was part of teen killer Shawn Tyson's gang back in 2011 along with Diandrew L. Clarkson, Steven Fields, Steven R. Phelps Jr and Joshua J. Bane that terrorized Newtown. Three teenagers were arrested as part of an operation targeting high-crime areas in north Sarasota, says the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office says the teenagers, Shawn Whitfield, 19, Tyler Radkey, 19, and a 17-year-old, are charged with 28 car burglaries, two vehicle thefts and fraudulent use of a credit card. Sheriff Tom Knight said the mission of the operation was to show that crime is not tolerated in the area. The Sheriff’s Office also arrested fifty other people on various charges, touting the use of data analysis to show “hot spots” for crime in the community. Shawn D. Whitfield Jr was released from prison on 7/29/2017, his listed residence upon release was 1682 22nd Street in the Newtown section of Sarasota Fl, just a few doors up from where Travis Combs was murdered on 8/28/2017 in the 1600 block of 22nd Street, "just sayin".

Scars, Marks, and Tattoos: Shawn Whitfield
Type	Location	Description
TATTOO	BACK	Z YAN WHITFIELD LONI WHITFEILD
TATTOO	LEFT ARM	TEE SPAN/1995/SHORNY MASKED MAN
TATTOO	LEFT HAND	BABY BRICK
TATTOO	OTHER	CNTR CHEST SHANALI WHITEFIELD 7.28
TATTOO	OTHER	CNTR CHEST-SA NYA WHITEFIELD
TATTOO	RIGHT ARM	IN DA MIND OF WHIT 7 POINT CROWN
TATTOO	RIGHT ARM	SHAI STARS X 8/ BULLET HOLES X 3
TATTOO	RIGHT ARM	JOKER FACE
TATTOO	RIGHT HAND	90S BRICK

Gunned down in the Ghetto: James Kouzaris, 24, from Northampton (right) and James Cooper, 25, from Warwickshire, were murdered during a holiday in Sarasota Florida with family and friends. DAILY EXPRESS NEWS UK April 23 2011..By Adrian Lee. POLICE are trying to find out how two British tourists shot dead in Florida ended up in such a rundown neighbourhood of Newtown. A 16-year-old boy, Shawn Tyson, has been charged with the murder of James Kouzaris, 24, and his friend James Cooper, 25. The two university friends bodies were found lying in a pool of blood on a street in the Government funded housing project of Newtown in the seaside town of Sarasota, Florida. Newtown is a district that one man in Sarasota knows better than most. Bill Warner is a veteran private investigator who has called this area his patch for almost 20 years. “It’s horrible,” PI Bill Warner says. “At any time of day there are drug deals being done and guys acting as spotters on the look out for police. There is a lot of crime and it’s not a nice place to be. “You don’t go there at night, period”. If I have to do surveillance work in Newtown I always carry a weapon.” Bill Warner has his own theory, that the Brit friends may have been the victims of a honey-trap, deliberately lured there by women. Police have traced two women seen on CCTV talking for 37 minutes to the Britons in Smokin’ Joe’s bar in the hours leading up to the shootings. Read more: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/242402/Is-this-why-the-Florida-Britons-were-killed-Is-this-why-the-Florida-Britons-were-killed-#ixzz1KixHoJsZ

 
THE TELEGRAPH UK NEWS...April 24, 2011 Florida murders: teenager accused of killing two Britons linked with feared street gang. The teenage gunman charged with murdering two British tourists in Florida is linked to a notorious street gang that terrorized the Sarasota neighborhood for two years. The nickname Young Savage tattooed across the chest of Shawn Tyson ties him to leaders of the Second Line gang that operated in the district of Sarasota where the Britons were shot dead, according to a local crime investigator. Now it has emerged that the tattoo emblazoned on his chest links him to the feared "enforcer" of the Second Line gang, responsible for a string of robberies and murders in the Newtown district that includes The Courts. The Sunday Telegraph has established that the same words are inked on the forearm of DeAndre Tunstall, jailed for murder in November 2010 after a police crackdown on the gang's leadership. A police spokesman said that Tyson was a not a known gang member. But veteran Sarasota private detective Bill Warner who has for years investigated fraud in Newtown said that Tyson was among young thugs coming to the fore since the arrest of Second Line leaders. "These tattoos are gang tags that identify these hoodlums when they are operating on the street and also when they inevitably end up in prison," Bill Warner said. "Tyson would never have had the nerve to tattoo 'Young Savage' across his chest, where everyone can see, if it he wasn't associated with the gang. The tattoo is a gang identification and it's a tribute to Tunstall. This kid had increasingly shown that he liked to fight and was willing to pull the trigger. He was showing how tough he was. He was graduating."
 
James Cooper and James Kouzaris were so drunk by 2:00 a.m. on April 16th that James Kouzaris was passed out on the bar of the Gator Club and yet the Sarasota Herald Tribune would lead you to believe that James Cooper and James Kouzaris "staggered" over 1.5 miles to the Courts Housing Project, in a straight line, were they were murdered by Shawn Tyson and his gang, that is a hell of a long way to "stagger". British tourists James Cooper and James Kouzaris were murdered Saturday April 16th, 2011 at about 2:56 a.m. in the "The Courts" section of violent Newtown Fl. SARASOTA HERALAD TRIBUNE...Records show a call came into the 911 dispatch center at 2:56 a.m., and the first officers arrived at 3:03 Saturday April 16th, Sarasota Police Capt. Paul Sutton said Wednesday April 20th. According to eyewitnesses, the bodies of James Cooper and James Kouzaris were found about 40 feet apart on opposite sides of Carver Court in Sarasota, Fla. 
 
FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON, REAL DEAL OR HOAX, I RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING TEXT MESSAGES ON SATURDAY APRIL 16TH 2011;
MESSAGE #1; "I murdered someone I am scared" 9:54 am.
MESSAGE #2; "Call the cops I cannot and I want to die really bad" 1:58 pm. The first text message was received at 9:54 am on Saturday April 16th, 2011, just 7 hours after Brits James Cooper and James Kouzaris were murdered and before the general public knew about the murders, the second message was received the same day at 1:58 pm. The cell phone number that sent me the above text messages "I murdered someone I am scared" is from 941-587-XXXX, the area code covering Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice Fl, a trace of the number indicate that it belongs to a young female living in North Sarasota Fl. 
 
"Candy" claims that there is a second shooter in the murder of James Cooper and James Kouzaris, "Candy" claims that the Brits were robbed so the Newtown thugs could have cash to buy more drugs. "Candy" claims she knows the name of the 2nd shooter and she sent me a name and a photo of a young black male. "Candy" refuses to talk on the phone, she will only take text messages, she has refused to meet in person and now refuses to talk to the Sarasota Police Department. All the information concerning "Candy's" cell phone number 941-587-XXXX and the information about a name and photo of a unknown black male were turned over to the Sarasota Police Department CID unit initially on April 20th 2011 and then again on May 3rd 2011 after I received the additional 34 text messages from "Candy", a nut case or is she snitchin on some Newtown thug.

It's Deja Vu all over again in 2018 Newtown Fl with street gangs. Back in 2010 In Sarasota, an effort to rein in the gangs. By Anthony Cormier (HeraldTribune.com) September 10, 2010 SARASOTA – A four-year investigation has resulted in Sarasota police charging six members of a notorious street gang with racketeering, saying the members of Second Line were responsible for murders, robberies and home invasions on Sarasota city’s north side and Newtown. Second Line Gang in Newtown arose in 2006, when its members were only 15 and 16 years old (British tourists killer Shawn Tyson is 16). At the time, Sarasota police officers were responding almost nightly to robberies and shootings on the north side. Ringling College of Art and Design students were robbed near campus. An elderly woman was rolled into a carpet during an attack. And a man was dragged inside his home after he returned from work. Police thought they knew the culprits but witnesses, and victims feared retribution, (NO SNITCHIN). Investigators worked individual cases, such as the four murders linked to Second Line members, while a gang detective focused on the organization as a whole. Detective Kim Laster compiled criminal histories on each member and worked with prosecutors from the state to establish "predicate" offenses -- such as dealing drugs or committing a robbery -- that would show an ongoing criminal enterprise. The arrest affidavits have been sealed because authorities say the information could tip off other targets or reveal the names of witnesses. "This is an ongoing case and there are other suspects," said Capt. Paul Sutton in 2010. The Second Line Gang members charged with racketeering are: DeAndre Tunstall, 20 (Young Savage tattoo), also in jail in a murder case; John "Chico" Stephens, 19, serving a prison sentence for murder; brothers Torrey, 21, and Xavier Eldridge, 20; Davon Gordon, 23; and Gary Wilder, 21.

Who Killed Travis Combs Who Kidnapped Jabez Spann It's a Mystery Wrapped in a Riddle, Inside an Enigma and No One is Talkin in Newtown Fl! Are the remnants of Shawn Tyson's Newtown gang involved or responsible for the murder of Travis Combs on 22nd Street on August 28th, 2017 or the follow up kidnapping of 15 year old Jabez Spann. Eyeball witness Reginald Parker won't talk to SPD cops. Apparently Reginald Parker, a registered sex offender and ex-con, witnessed the murder of Travis Combs by 3 thugs. Jabez Spann was named in sex offender Reginald Parker’s arrest report. The documents placed Jabez Spann at the scene of the murder. It was the first official acknowledgement that Jabez Spann may have witnessed a murder before he disappeared on September 4th, 2017. According to the report, Reginald Parker told three people that Jabez Spann was outside, along with two others, when Combs was fatally shot by 3 local thugs. The document says that Jabez Spann exclaimed, “Oh my God. Y’all shot him,” after Combs was killed. But according to the report, Parker changed his account once inside the jail. When pressed by detectives, Parker denied telling anyone he saw Travis Combs’ death, he has since been charged with accessory after the fact to second degree murder. Only in Newtown!


Bill Warner wbipi@verizon.net Bill Warner Private Investigator Sarasota 941-926-1926 - SEX, CRIME, CHEATERS & TERRORISM at www.wbipi.com

New 'D.B. Cooper' suspect is Walter R. Reca a former military paratrooper and intelligence operative.

New 'D.B. Cooper' suspect is Walter R. Reca a former military paratrooper and intelligence operative. In 1971, on the night before Thanksgiving, a man calling himself Dan Cooper, wearing a black tie and a suit, boarded a Seattle-bound Boeing 727 in Oregon and told a flight attendant he had a bomb in a briefcase. He gave her a note demanding money. After the plane landed, he released the 36 passengers in exchange for $200,000 in ransom and parachutes. The ransom was paid in $20 bills. The hijacker then ordered the plane to fly to Mexico, but near the Washington-Oregon border he jumped and was never seen or heard from again, on Nov. 24, 1971. Stars & Stripes writes, The identity of "D.B. Cooper" — the alias of the daredevil who hijacked a Northwest Orient flight from Portland, Oregon to Seattle in 1971 and parachuted out of the plane with $200,000 — has come up empty for almost 50 years. But the mystery of the only unsolved skyjacking in U.S. history has fueled a cottage industry of authors, documentary makers and self-appointed sleuths who believe they've done what the FBI could not. On Thursday, May 17, a whole new theory emerged from Carl Laurin, an 84-year-old pet sitter who lives in DeLand, Florida. Laurin, his Michigan publishing firm announced at a news conference, has written a memoir detailing the confessions of a longtime friend who supposedly committed the crime: Walter R. Reca, a former military paratrooper and intelligence operative.

 Water Reca as seen in Detroit in the mid-1970s. (Photo courtesy of Lisa Story.)
Fox News writes, Vern Jones, CEO of Principia, talked about recordings that Laurin claimed were actual recordings of Reca speaking about the heist. Jones, a self-proclaimed skeptic at the start of the investigation, said that the evidence was “overwhelming.” "Evidence, including almost-daily discussions over a 14-year period and 3+ hours of audio recordings featuring the skyjacker, was compiled by Reca’s best friend. It was then analyzed by a Certified Fraud Examiner and forensic linguist," the publisher said in a news release. "The audio recordings, created in 2008, include Reca discussing skyjacking details that were not known to the public prior to the FBI’s information release in 2015." The publishing company worked with Laurin for the memoir "D.B. Cooper & Me: A Criminal, A Spy, My Best Friend.”

flier for  Michigan Parachute Team event. The MPC was a group of young men who performed daredevil parachuting stunts.  (Photo courtesy of Principia Media.)
Many investigators have come forward with their theories for who the infamous hijacker may be. Earlier this year, the leader of the private investigative team who has spent years trying to crack the D.B. Cooper hijacking case claimed he believes the mysterious criminal was a CIA operative whose identity has been covered up by federal agents. After the skyjacking, Reca later became a high-level covert intelligence operative (CIA), according to the publishing company. Reca possessed skills to survive jumping out of the plane because he was on the Michigan Parachute Team, according to the publisher. Vern Jones also seemed to hint that the discrepancies between Principia’s investigation and the FBI’s investigation might not have been accidental. “The hijacking,” he said “was just the beginning of the story.” He detailed a supposed meeting between Reca and “two men in hard hats” two months after the heist where he was asked by these two unknown men if he was prepared to go to “prison.” Reca was reportedly hired by them, though it is unclear if the two men Jones talked about were FBI agents. Laurin himself spoke at the press conference and described Reca as a daredevil “who always wanted to be in the CIA.” “I always got the feeling that when he jumped with our team, the Michigan parachute team, it was a means of survival, not really for the thrill,” Laurin said. “He was looking for something far beyond that.”

FBI Files, On November 24, 1971, a man calling himself Dan Cooper, a.k.a. D.B. Cooper, bought a one-way ticket on a flight bound for Seattle, Washington. While the flight was en-route, he hijacked the plane and made several demands. Later, while the plane was in the air, he jumped out of it with a parachute and the ransom money he had been given. He was never found. This release consists of FBI's investigative files from its search for "Cooper" between November 1971 and May 1992. D.B. Cooper hijacking Nov. 24, 1971, Walter Reca was born on September 20, 1933 and passed away on Monday, February 17, 2014. Walter was a resident of Oscoda, Michigan. Walter Reca would have been 38 years old on Nov. 24, 1971 the date of the hijacking.


 
Bill Warner wbipi@verizon.net Bill Warner Private Investigator Sarasota 941-926-1926 - SEX, CRIME, CHEATERS & TERRORISM at www.wbipi.com

Newtown Thug Joshua J. Bane arrested in 2 of 4 recent shootings, Bane was a member of Shawn Tyson's gang in 2011 when 2 British Tourists murdered

Newtown Thug Joshua J. Bane, DOB 5/12/1986, arrested in 2 of 4 recent shootings, Joshua Bane was a member of Shawn Tyson's gang back in 2011 when 2 British Tourists James Cooper and James Kouzaris were murdered in the Courts, Newtown Fl, initially Bane had been considered a suspect in their murder. Joshua Bane sold the Smith/Wesson .22 caliber magnum revolver used in the cold blooded murder of British Tourists James Cooper and James Kouzaris on the street for $50 and spent the money on marijuana. Today May 16th, 2018, SARASOTA, FL (WWSB) - Sarasota Police have arrested Joshua J. Bane, 32, in connection to two separate shootings in north Sarasota (NEWTOWN) on Wednesday, May 16. Detectives arrested Bane without incident in the 300 block of Tuttle Avenue in Sarasota. Police say a firearm and ammunition were recovered from the arrest location which will be sent for testing to determine if it was used in the shooting. According to SPD, Bane is still being interviewed by Sarasota Police Detectives and will be charged later this afternoon. Police say Bane is charged with a shooting on May 8th that happened near the intersection of 23rd Street and South Osprey Avenue. Bane is also charged with a shooting on May 13th. That incident happened at Palmadelia Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Way in Sarasota. One man was shot and taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital. All of the victims are expected to survive.

On Monday, May 14, 2018, Sarasota Police Detectives uncovered information which led them to identify a possible suspect in two of the four shootings, Joshua J. Bane, 32 (date of birth 5/12/1986). Newtown thug Joshua Bane has been charged with two counts of 2nd degree murder, Attempted Second-Degree Murder - Florida Statute 782.04(2)  Florida Statute 782.04 prohibits anyone from committing the crime of murder:
1). Florida Statute 782.04(2) HOMICIDE WILFUL KILL-MURDER NOT PREMEDITATED 2ND DEGREE, FIRST DEGREE FELONY
2). Florida Statute 782.04(2) HOMICIDE WILFUL KILL-MURDER NOT PREMEDITATED 2ND DEGREE, FIRST DEGREE FELONY
 
JAILHOUSE TATS, 'Thug Life', HOOD RICH, Joshua J. Bane, DOB 5/12/1986 Newtown Sarasota Fl

Scars, Marks, and Tattoos: Joshua J. Bane, DOB 5/12/1986
Type	Location	Description
TATTOO	FACE	MINNI, $$,
TATTOO	FACE	BRICKS
TATTOO	LEFT ARM	HOOD RICH
TATTOO	LEFT ARM	AK-47, GLASS, RB, SKULL, MONEY
TATTOO	LEFT ARM	CLOCK, RONNIQUE
TATTOO	LEFT ARM	DICE W/ 4M, PRAYING HANDS, $$, SCALE,
TATTOO	LEFT ARM	STARS, MAN ON CROSS, COINS
TATTOO	LEFT CHEST	MOON W/ CROWN
TATTOO	LEFT HAND	BOY W/ DIAMOND
TATTOO	LEFT HAND	JAMON
TATTOO	NECK	AYLASSA 11/10/2005
TATTOO	NECK	NEW GENERATION JAMALE 4/8
TATTOO	OTHER	KING B CROWN
TATTOO	RIGHT ARM	SOMARION 1986, ALEIN HEAD
TATTOO	RIGHT ARM	DICE W/ 3, PYRAMINDS, HOUR GLASS
TATTOO	RIGHT ARM	STATE, $$
TATTOO	RIGHT ARM	WATCH,
TATTOO	RIGHT CHEST	SKULL W/ HAT
TATTOO	RIGHT HAND	RICH DIAMOND
TATTOO	RIGHT HAND	SELF MADE
TATTOO	STOMACH	SMILE NOW CRY LATER DRAMA MASK
TATTOO	STOMACH	STARS, DICE

From the cold blooded murders of British tourists James Cooper and James Kouzaris by Newtown teen thug Shawn Tyson in April 2011 to the murder of Travis Combs in August 2017 and the accompanying disappearance of teen Jabez Span in September 2017 who appears to be a witness to Combs murder, Newtown is a no go kinda place. There were eight murders in Sarasota in 2011, all but one of which took place in Newtown, the historically black neighborhood that has remained dangerous despite years of effort and calls for a stop to the violence. Several members of teen killer Shawn Tyson's 2011 gang, LIKE JOSHUA BANE, went on to commit drug crimes, burglaries and murder or attempted murder on their own after the murder of the two British tourists on April 16, 2011.

Scars, Marks, and Tattoos: Shawn Tyson
Type	Location	Description
TATTOO	FACE	POT OF GOLD
TATTOO	OTHER	SAVAGE (ACROSS CHEST)

There was a nucleus of violent teen thugs in 2011 Newtown led by Shawn Tyson and his right hand man Steven Fields, who was in and out of prison 4 times, other members of the 'group' are  Steven R. Phelps, Curtis Campbell, Diandrew L. Clarkson, Shawn D. Whitfield, Treshaun Simmons, Jermaine Bane and Joshua J. Bane that terrorized Newtown residents through a series of robberies, burglaries, home invasions and shootings, they are now all in their mid 20's.  

It appears to me that the remnants and/or associates of Shawn Tyson's violent gang are alive and well in Newtown and have continued with their criminal enterprise. Following is an updated report on where they all are now. All my information obtained on the Newtown nucleus of violent teen thugs and their violent associates seen in this article are compiled from Sarasota County Sheriff and SRQ Police Arrest Reports, Probable Cause Affidavits, Florida State Prison Records, Sarasota County Clerks website ClerkNet 3.0, and articles researched in local Newspapers, all of which are PUBLIC RECORD.  

Two associates of Shawn Tyson and his gang in 2011, Joshua Bane and Treshaun Simmons, turned out to be snitches at Shawn Tyson's trial to save themselves from jail time. SARASOTA HERALD TRIBUNE: At trial Murder defendant Shawn Tyson bragged about opening fire on two British tourists after he tried to rob them, a friend said that Tyson told her and another friend that he shot the men — James Cooper, 25, and James Kouzaris, 24 — when they told him they had no money.

Joshua Bane, 25, the brother of Jermaine Bane, is a former friend who testified against Tyson. Joshua Bane testified that the pistol was buried by a mutual friend, then dug up and handed to him to sell. Joshua Bane said he sold it on the street for $50 and spent the money on marijuana. Initially, Bane had been considered a suspect in the murder, Attorney Schlemmer said. Joshua Bane was arrested on two felony charges along with his brother on May 15, 2011 a month after the shootings. He cut a plea deal that kept him out of prison in exchange for his testimony in the murder trial.

Joshua Bane, 25, avoided 10 years in prison when he agreed to testify against Tyson, who he told the jury had frequently carried a .22-caliber handgun, sometimes pulling it out on people. Prosecutors called to the stand Treshaun Simmons, a friend of accused murderer Shawn Tyson, 17. Treshaun Simmons told the jury that the day before British tourist James Kouzaris and James Cooper were shot and killed he saw .22-caliber bullets in Tyson’s room. Forensics found both victims were killed by .22-caliber bullets, but tests could not conclusively tie the bullets to Tyson. Treshaun Simmons said he had gone to Tyson’s home to retrieve bullets for his gun, a 40-caliber. Treshaun Simmons did you ever pick your feet in Poughkeepsie NY? Joshua J. Bane was part of teen killer Shawn Tyson's gang back in 2011 along with Diandrew L. Clarkson, Steven Fields, Shawn D. Whitfield and Steven R. Phelps Jr that terrorized Newtown.

After serving 14 months in prison for a car theft conviction unrelated to the murders, Steven Fields was released from prison on January 19th, 2018, to an address in St Pete, but we will have this violent thug back on the streets of Sarasota soon enough. “We’re looking at him (Fields) and if we can develop probable cause to charge him, we’ll do so,” said Sarasota Police Sgt. Kevin Churchill. “Now that this conviction is done, Shawn Tyson, perhaps people will be more inclined to help us and provide some information.” Steven Fields was part of teen killer Shawn Tyson's gang back in 2011 along with Steven R. Phelps, Diandrew L. Clarkson, Shawn D. Whitfield and Joshua J. Bane that terrorized Newtown.

Scars, Marks, and Tattoos: Steven Fields
Type	Location	Description
TATTOO	BACK	DANETTE IN CROSS
TATTOO	FACE	LEFT EYE -TEAR DROP
TATTOO	LEFT ARM	A CROSS AND A HEART
TATTOO	LEFT CHEST	DANETTE WILLIAMS
TATTOO	RIGHT ARM	TWO CLOWNS & LAUGH NOW, CRY LATER
TATTOO	STOMACH	N W A

Newtown thug Diandrew L. Clarkson arrested September 28th, 2015: According to a Sarasota Police Department news release, Diandrew L. Clarkson, 20, shot Daniel Ortiz, 44 — who was driving in the 1500 block of 25th Street Newtown on Monday evening — after Ortiz tried to buy $35 in drugs from him. Clarkson demanded Ortiz pay him $40 from a previous deal, leaned into Ortiz’s car and pulled a handgun from his waistband and shot Ortiz who later died. This dirtball Diandrew L. Clarkson was in Newtown selling drugs on the street. Diandrew L. Clarkson was part of teen killer Shawn Tyson's gang back in 2011 along with Steven R. Phelps, Steven Fields, Shawn D. Whitfield and Joshua J. Bane that terrorized Newtown.

Scars, Marks, and Tattoos: Diandrew L. Clarkson
Type	Location	Description
TATTOO	LEFT ARM	STARS, CLOWN FACE CITY, DICE
TATTOO	LEFT ARM	TRACK BABY
TATTOO	LEFT ARM	WOMEN, AK47
TATTOO	LEFT CHEST	WING
TATTOO	LEFT HAND	CLYDE
TATTOO	NECK	AMELIA, CHIEF HEAD
TATTOO	RIGHT ARM	BLOCK
TATTOO	RIGHT ARM	DIAMONDS, MONEY BAG. 1500, BRICKS
TATTOO	RIGHT CHEST	WING, ALBERTA
TATTOO	RIGHT HAND	RIP

Current Prison Sentence History Diandrew L. Clarkson:
Offense Date	Offense	Sentence Date	County		Prison Sentence
09/28/2015	MURDER	04/05/2017	SARASOTA		SENTENCED TO LIFE

SARASOTA ABC-7- May 12th, 2013 Steven R. Phelps Jr was part of teen killer Shawn Tyson's gang. Authorities have arrested a man in connection to the shooting of his own father. Steven R. Phelps Jr. has been arrested for Attempted Murder and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Phelps was arrested on Tuesday on the 1300 block of 21st Street in Sarasota. The arrest was made by members of the US Marshal’s Service, Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force. Detectives from the Sarasota Police Department and Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office participate in the Fugitive Task Force and were involved in today’s arrest.  

Steven Phelps has been released from State prison by a court order:

Current Facility:	OUT OF DEPT. CUSTODY BY COURT ORDER
Current Custody:	CLOSE
Current Release Date:	03/08/2025

Scars, Marks, and Tattoos: Steven Phelps
Type	Location	Description
TATTOO	LEFT CHEST	RIP PICKLE RIP TRAP
TATTOO	LEFT CHEST	SILLY STAR W/ FLAMES
TATTOO	LEFT HAND	BOY
TATTOO	NECK	BBA 5212 050 500
TATTOO	NECK	STARS, 936
TATTOO	RIGHT ARM	LENA
TATTOO	RIGHT CHEST	LIL STAR W/ FLAMES
TATTOO	RIGHT HAND	SOTA

Steven R. Phelps Jr and Curtis Campbell were arrested for an armed robbery on Leon Ave in Newtown in 2011. On March 18th 2011, two robbers put a gun to the head of a man working on an air conditioning unit in the 2400 block of Leon Avenue and demanded his money, with Curtis Campbell shouting “give it up”, they knew he had $950 in cash in his pockets. Sarasota Police arrested Steven Phelps Jr, 17, and Curtis Campbell, 18, for armed robbery. Steven R. Phelps Jr was part of teen killer Shawn Tyson's gang back in 2011 along with Diandrew L. Clarkson, Shawn D. Whitfield, Steven Fields and Joshua J. Bane that terrorized Newtown. Phelps is currently in prison on the attempted murder conviction.

Current Prison Sentence History Steven R. Phelps jr:
Offense Date	Offense	Sentence Date	County		Prison Sentence
11/21/2012	FLEE LEO-	06/20/2013	SARASOTA		5YEARS
11/21/2012	COCAINE POS	06/20/2013	SARASOTA		5YEARS
03/05/2013	MURDER ATT.	06/21/2013	SARASOTA		12YEARS
03/05/2013	W/GUN/CONC	06/21/2013	SARASOTA		12YEARS

SARASOTA HERALD TRIBUNE May 15, 2013, Shawn D. Whitfield Jr was part of teen killer Shawn Tyson's gang back in 2011 along with Diandrew L. Clarkson, Steven Fields, Steven R. Phelps Jr and Joshua J. Bane that terrorized Newtown. Three teenagers were arrested as part of an operation targeting high-crime areas in north Sarasota, says the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office says the teenagers, Shawn Whitfield, 19, Tyler Radkey, 19, and a 17-year-old, are charged with 28 car burglaries, two vehicle thefts and fraudulent use of a credit card. Sheriff Tom Knight said the mission of the operation was to show that crime is not tolerated in the area. The Sheriff’s Office also arrested fifty other people on various charges, touting the use of data analysis to show “hot spots” for crime in the community. Shawn D. Whitfield Jr was released from prison on 7/29/2017, his listed residence upon release was 1682 22nd Street in the Newtown section of Sarasota Fl, just a few doors up from where Travis Combs was murdered on 8/28/2017 in the 1600 block of 22nd Street, "just sayin".

Stated Residence Upon Release From Prison Shawn D Whitfield Jr:

1682 22ND ST SARASOTA, FL 34234

Two associates of Shawn Tyson and his gang in 2011, Joshua Bane and Treshaun Simmons, turned out to be snitches at Shawn Tyson's trial to save themselves from jail time. SARASOTA HERALD TRIBUNE: At trial Murder defendant Shawn Tyson bragged about opening fire on two British tourists after he tried to rob them, a friend said that Tyson told her and another friend that he shot the men — James Cooper, 25, and James Kouzaris, 24 — when they told him they had no money. Joshua Bane, 25, the brother of Jermaine Bane, is a former friend who testified against Tyson. Joshua Bane testified that the pistol was buried by a mutual friend, then dug up and handed to him to sell. Joshua Bane said he sold it on the street for $50 and spent the money on marijuana. Initially, Bane had been considered a suspect in the murder, Attorney Schlemmer said. Joshua Bane was arrested on two felony charges along with his brother on May 15,2011 a month after the shootings. He cut a plea deal that kept him out of prison in exchange for his testimony in the murder trial. Joshua Bane, 25, avoided 10 years in prison when he agreed to testify against Tyson, who he told the jury had frequently carried a .22-caliber handgun, sometimes pulling it out on people. Prosecutors called to the stand Treshaun Simmons, a friend of accused murderer Shawn Tyson, 17. Treshaun Simmons told the jury that the day before British tourist James Kouzaris and James Cooper were shot and killed he saw .22-caliber bullets in Tyson’s room. Forensics found both victims were killed by .22-caliber bullets, but tests could not conclusively tie the bullets to Tyson. Treshaun Simmons said he had gone to Tyson’s home to retrieve bullets for his gun, a 40-caliber. Joshua J. Bane was part of teen killer Shawn Tyson's gang back in 2011 along with Diandrew L. Clarkson, Steven Fields, Shawn D. Whitfield and Steven R. Phelps Jr that terrorized Newtown.

Bill Warner wbipi@verizon.net Bill Warner Private Investigator Sarasota 941-926-1926 - SEX, CRIME, CHEATERS & TERRORISM at www.wbipi.com