Fannie Rose Houck, a 63-year-old woman, was found dead on April 9, 2018, in Webster, Florida. Her body was discovered on County Road 711, north of State Road 50, with clear signs of violence. Houck, who had recently moved to the Tampa Bay area from Massachusetts, was described as having light auburn hair, light brown eyes, and wearing a black unitard at the time of her death.
The Sumter County Sheriff's Office immediately launched an investigation into her death, which was later determined to be a homicide.
The investigation revealed that Houck had been shot execution-style with a single gunshot wound to the back of her head. Detectives used cellular phone data to trace her last known movements, which placed her in close proximity to Stanley Tarrand, a 40-year-old man with a violent criminal history. Tarrand had been released from prison in November 2017 after serving 23 years for a 1993 murder in Sumter County, where he had stabbed a 25-year-old woman 51 times.
Stanley Tarrand was arrested on April 12, 2018, in Clermont, Florida, in connection with Houck's murder. Detectives found a firearm in Tarrand's vehicle, which they believed was used in the killing. Tarrand confessed to the murder, admitting to shooting Houck. He was charged with first-degree murder and held without bond. The motive for the homicide remains unclear, but Tarrand's history of violent behavior and his recent release from prison were significant factors in the investigation.
The case of Fannie Rose Houck's murder highlights the tragic consequences of violent crime and the challenges law enforcement faces in preventing repeat offenses by convicted criminals. The Sumter County Sheriff's Office continues to seek information from the public to piece together the events leading up to Houck's death and to ensure justice is served for the 63-year-old woman.
