Maine
Man beaten to death in random attack near Tampa had been expanding his Maine business to Florida
A person who was killed in a violent, random assault close to Tampa final week was from Maine and had hung out in Florida in recent times increasing his enterprise to the Sunshine State, in accordance with his daughter.
Police discovered Jeffrey Chapman, 49, simply after midnight final Friday close to 719 Mandalay Avenue in Clearwater Seaside, Florida, a quiet, residential space west of Tampa, in accordance with Michael Walek, Clearwater Police Division’s deputy chief.
He seemed to be using a bicycle when he sustained blunt power trauma to his head and higher physique, Walek stated in a press convention on Oct. 21.
Sierra Chapman stated she believes her father was out remembering the 27-year anniversary of his mom’s demise when he was killed.
“My dad had an outdated soul with a younger coronary heart,” stated Sierra Chapman, 27, of Hampden. “He was humble, giving and at all times tried to deal with these near him.”
Clearwater police on Tuesday charged Jermaine Bennett with first-degree homicide. Bennett allegedly admitted beating Jeffrey Chapman to demise with a tire iron in a random assault, in accordance with police.
Police have been nonetheless in search of a second suspect who they imagine was concerned within the assault.
“Florida was his seaside escape,” Sierra stated. “He liked to stroll and journey his bike alongside the seaside, however sadly, that’s how he was taken from us. That was tough to listen to.”
Jeffrey Chapman was the president and CEO of a Bangor-based monetary providers agency. He moved to Florida half time a couple of years in the past to develop the corporate to the Sunshine State, however would return to his camp on Moosehead Lake each few weeks, in accordance with Sierra Chapman.
Although he loved Florida’s seashores and heat climate, Sierra Chapman stated Maine was the place her father’s coronary heart was, as all his household nonetheless reside in Maine and his favourite actions came about within the Maine wilderness.
“Recollections of being outdoors in nature with him are my favourite as a result of that’s what he liked to do,” Sierra Chapman stated. “We’d go to the lake each weekend and go paddle boarding, then ski at Sugarloaf within the winter. We additionally took tenting journeys to Baxter State Park each summer time for my birthday.”
Sierra Chapman stated she and her brother, Alex, 25, plan to proceed following their father’s passions by spending time outside and touring to nationwide parks in his reminiscence.
In addition to spending time outside, Jeffrey Chapman liked music, and his style in music confirmed “he was a real hippie,” Sierra Chapman stated.
“Music was his drug of selection, particularly reggae, basic rock and indie folks,” she stated. “Music was his outlet.”
Although he was a quiet, sensible and humble man, Sierra Chapman stated these near her father knew he had a dry humorousness and liked to make folks snort.
“He valued laughter and happiness to offset the cruelty on this planet,” she stated. “He at all times stated, ‘Stay life to the fullest, do what you like and revel in each second.’”
Jeffrey Chapman’s household will maintain a public service for him on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 1 p.m. on the Chestnut Road Baptist Church in Camden.