Investigators said they arrested Stephan Thomas Rodda, 37, after he took off from the homicide scene and tried to leave Polk County.
“It breaks our heart, there aren’t adequate words to explain how horrific this event is,” Sheriff Judd said.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office swarmed a Lake Wales mobile home in the 2500 block of Old Bartow Road near North Acuff Road.
Sheriff Judd said Monday afternoon that the 16-year-old, who was identified by authorities as Stephen Lee Rodda, was an 11th grader at Frostproof High School.
The teen, who had dreams of becoming an electrician, was staying with his grandfather at the mobile home to help him while his grandmother was in rehab.
Officials said the grandfather left the home Monday morning to go visit his wife in rehab. But when he returned home at around 11 a.m., the grandfather saw the suspect outside.
That’s when the suspect told the 16-year-old’s grandfather, “I wouldn’t go in there if I was you. I killed someone.
You may need to call the police.”
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