By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter
City of Chiefland Regular Meeting

Chiefland Police Chief Scott Anderson Monday said he believes the man who murdered two Gilchrist County deputies Thursday before killing himself was mentally ill.

John Hubert Highnote, 58, of Bell shot to death Sgt. Noel Ramirez, 29, and Deputy Taylor Lindsey, 25, as they sat in the Ace China Restaurant. He ended his own life soon after leaving the restaurant.

Responding to questions from Chiefland City Commissioners, Anderson said he pulled up a report from 2012 in which City Police Officer Al Graves investigated a complaint filed by Highnote at the Wal-Mart Supercenter claiming his tires had been cut.

“He was complaining that people were cutting his tires. It wasn’t,” Anderson said.

Commissioner Teresa Barron asked Anderson if he thought the killer was mentally ill.

“That’s exactly what I believe it is,” Anderson said.
Investigators in Gilchrist County have yet to reveal a motive for the ambush at the Chinese restaurant.

A non-denominational funeral service for the two slain officers will take place at 11 a.m. at Bell Middle-High School Tuesday with a graveside service set for 2:30 p.m. in Bronson.

Anderson said some of his officers will participate in the funeral but the city will be covered. The department will respond to calls.

The police chief said it was a rough week for law enforcement with the double murder in Trenton followed later by the accidental drowning death of the 3-year-old son of a Levy County sheriff’s deputy.

Anderson said his officers made three major arrests during the week, two for armed robberies at the same convenience store and one for theft of chainsaws at a timber business.

He said the Marathon Station opposite the Ford Motor dealership on U.S. 19 was robbed on Monday night. The suspect was arrested the next day and the stolen merchandise recovered. The same store was robbed Wednesday night. The suspect was in custody four hours later.

Anderson said chainsaws worth $3,300 were stolen from a pickup truck parked at Andrews Land and Timber over the weekend. The chainsaws were pawned at Value Pawn and Jewelry in Gainesville. The thief received $500 for the saws.

An employee of Andrews Land and Timber was arrested for the theft. The owner of the saws, Kelby Andrews, discovered on Monday morning the saws had been stolen from a locked box on the back of a truck. The keys to the box were hanging inside the office.

Anderson said Andrews can get his chainsaws back if he pays $500. The police chief said the requirement that Andrews pay the pawnshop is the way state law is set up. The business has to be reimbursed for the money it lost purchasing the chainsaws before the owner can reclaim his property.

The chief said city police were able to prove through documentation that the saws belonged to Andrews.
“I know it’s crazy. That’s the statute,” Anderson said.

City of Chiefland Regular Meeting April 23, 2018
Posted April 23, 2018