HOLMES BEACH – Two suspects have been arrested and one remains at large in the violent beating of a 40-year-old man in Holmes Beach.
John William Bartholow, 17, of Ellenton, was taken into custody by police on March 30 and an unidentified juvenile also has been charged after warrants were issued for the aggravated battery of Even Purcell.
Due to the age of the juvenile, police are not releasing information about his capture, only saying he has been charged and is currently in the custody of his parents. The search continues for 18-year-old Cameron Leron Evans, of Sarasota, who is described as a 6’0” 140-pound Black male.
“We’ve had multiple agencies checking addresses for the remaining suspect, Cameron Evans, on active warrants,” Holmes Beach Police Lieutenant Brian Hall said. “I’m sure he’s just laying low and hiding out, but he’ll get caught.”
Purcell, a Holmes Beach resident, was walking his dog with his 10-year-old niece on the evening of March 23 when he came upon some teenagers breaking bottles, drinking alcohol and vandalizing Anna Maria Elementary School property. According to police, Purcell yelled at the group to stop what they were doing, which resulted in the group of teens becoming aggressive. Although Purcell waived a pocket knife as he feared for his safety, it was not a deterrent to the teens, who knocked him to the ground and beat him severely, including an assault with a wooden object, possibly a skateboard.
According to Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer, police arrived on the scene around 9 p.m. to find the assailants gone and Purcell unconscious on the ground. The victim was taken to HCA Florida Blake Hospital in stable condition, but suffering from multiple serious injuries.
Although there was no video footage of the incident, the suspect vehicle was identified by the city’s license plate recognition camera as a white Kia Sportage. Tokajer also said there were cans and broken bottles left at the scene that could be used to obtain DNA and fingerprints. He also said these were not students of Anna Maria Elementary, and no one related to the school was believed to be involved in any way.
Since the incident, several security measures have been put in place at Anna Maria Elementary to deter loitering on school grounds after hours. Locking gates have been installed at all vehicle entrances and “No Beach Parking” signs have been posted to keep the lots clear during the day as well.
Due to the violent acts committed and the nature of the charges, Evans is considered a danger to the community. Police are urging the public not to approach Evans if seen and to contact the Holmes Beach Police Department immediately with any information. Crime Stoppers can be reached at 866-634-TIPS or a web tip can be submitted online. Information can be submitted anonymously, and Crime Stoppers may pay a cash reward of up to $3,000.
Purcell’s family has set up a GoFundMe page to help with his medical bills. As of April 10, the effort has raised $17,015 of the $25,000 goal.
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