Men on ‘violent crime spree’ beat bicyclist to death with tire iron, Florida cops say

Two men on a “violent crime spree” randomly beat a bicyclist to death with a tire iron, according to Florida police.

One of the men jumped out of a car and pushed the cyclist, 49-year-old Jeffrey Chapman, of Maine, off his bike as he rode in Clearwater on the night of Oct. 21, Clearwater police Deputy Chief Michael Walek said during a news conference on Nov. 3.

Clearwater police arrested Jermaine Bennett, 26, on a charge of first-degree murder on Oct. 22. On Nov. 3, officers announced the arrest of the second suspect, Savonne Morrison, 18, who was taken into custody by the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office on Nov. 1 and charged with principal to first-degree murder, a public information officer with the Clearwater Police Department told McClatchy News.

Bennett and Morrison embarked on a “series of criminal mischief” on the night of Oct. 21, starting in St. Petersburg, about 24 miles southwest of Tampa, Walek said.

They recorded themselves on a cellphone bashing cars with a tire iron, breaking windows and denting tail lights, according to a video shown during the news conference.

“You recording?” a man says, before swinging the tire iron into the window of a truck, the video shows.

Later, they beat up an elderly man and left him in the street, Walek said. The man had broken bones and ribs, but is now in stable condition, police said.

About an hour later, Morrison and Bennett traveled to Clearwater, about 20 miles north, where they attacked Chapman on his bicycle and bludgeoned him with the tire iron, Walek said.

“This was a senseless and horrendous crime that has no logical explanation,” Walek said.

Hours after the killing, Morrison texted Bennett a link to a news story about Chapman’s death, Walek said. Bennett replied “lol” and called himself and Morrison “legends.”

“They are not legends,” Walek said. “They are despicable criminals who will face the consequences for their actions… They took a good man from his family and friends way too soon.”

Chapman was the President and CEO of Alterity Financial Group, which has offices in Bangor and Tampa.

He enjoyed living in Clearwater and loved the beach, but he returned to Maine to visit family almost every six weeks, Walek said.

He was a “true hippie by heart” and loved the outdoors, his daughter wrote in a statement, which was shared by the Clearwater Beach Association on Facebook. He loved to ski in the winter, ride his bike and walk by the beach and spend time with his kids in Maine.

“He did so much good in this world for his clients and people close to him,” she wrote. “He had the answer to everything and was so wise beyond his years and enjoyed sharing his wisdom to the ones that wanted to listen.”

Chapman had a “dry sense of humor” and a “humble and giving soul,” his daughter wrote.

“He always valued the importance of laughter and happiness to try and make sense of this cruel and senseless world that is,” the statement says. “... This wasn’t his time and it’s devastating to have him taken this way.”

Bennett is being held in Pinellas County jail on no bond. Morrison is being held in the Pasco County Jail and will be transferred to Pinellas County in the coming days, according to the Clearwater Police Department public information officer.

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