A Volusia County brother and sister are behind bars, charged with attempted murder after they teamed up with a third suspect, to tie and drag an ex-husband behind the back of a truck along a dirt road.
61-year-old Jeanette Morris and her brother, 63-year-old Harold Anderson, joined up with 46-year-old Joan Hobart to attack Morris’ ex-husband on January 8, Volusia County deputies said. Morris was apparently upset that her ex-husband, who still lives in her house, brings his girlfriend there when she is away working as a truck driver.
Investigators learned that all four – Morris, Anderson, Hobart and Morris’ ex, were all drinking vodka when the attack took place.
Authorities also learned that the ex-husband was shocked several times with a stun gun, punched in the face and a gun was put to his head. The ex-husband told investigators he was then tied up, dragged outside and attached with a rope to the bumper of a pick-up truck, which then took off.
At some point the truck stopped and he was tossed into its bed, the ex-husband told investigators. He said he leaped out of the truck after he heard talk about finds a hole to bury him. Investigators said, the man then ran to the nearest house on Powerline Road to get help.
In perhaps an ominous twist, a shovel was found in the truck, investigators said. Investigators also said, Anderson showed no remorse whatsoever when confronted with his crimes and Morris, who initially denied that anything at all had happened, said she didn’t want her ex dead, only out of her home.
All three suspects, Morris, Anderson and Hobart who hails from New Smyrna Beach and who was arrested a day later, have been charged with several crimes. These include attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, false imprisonment and aggravated battery. The trio was booked into the Volusia County Jail with no bond.
