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Hernando Today

Grand Jury Indicts DePalma Murder Suspect

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By KYLE MARTIN

Hernando Today

Published: August 7, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - A grand jury formally charged a Brooksville man with two counts of first-degree murder Tuesday in connection with a brutal Masaryktown slaying.

Robert Jardin, 33, was also indicted on charges of armed burglary, armed robbery and grand theft stemming from the deaths of Patrick and Evelyn DePalma in October 2006.

He remains in the county jail on a no bond status.

The other suspect in the case, 18-year-old David Bostick, of Tampa, remains under investigation. But at this time there is insufficient evidence to bring his case before a grand jury, Assistant State Attorney Pete Magrino said Wednesday.

Because his case falls under the Department of Juvenile Justice, his location is not public information.

Still unclear is whether a third suspect remains at large.

Bostick, a distant relative of the victims, told investigators he accompanied two other men to the DePalmas' home on Korbus Road. It was his familiar face that convinced the couple, ages 84 and 79, to open the door and invite the group into their house, an affidavit states.

But Bostick maintains that one of the suspects, neither of whom is named in a criminal affidavit, told him to fetch a cell phone from the car. When he returned inside, the couple had been stabbed to death and one suspect was yelling at the other about his bad temper.

When Jardin was arrested three months later on July 11, he told investigators a similar story about three people. While he admits to being at the scene and seeing the bodies, Jardin stopped short of saying he actually killed the couple, an affidavit states. On Wednesday, Sgt. Jim Powers, sheriff's spokesman, was limited in what he could say about the open criminal investigation. When asked directly about the third suspect, Powers said there were "other players," but he didn't give any specifics.

The case is "not concluded, nor closed," he said.

Per state law, a grand jury is held in secret with a panel of between 15 and 21 panelists. A minimum of 12 have to return a verdict. Prosecutor Magrino wouldn't disclose how many people composed Tuesday's grand jury.

Reporter Kyle Martin can be reached at 352-544-5271 or kmartin@hernandotoday.com.

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