A 36-year-old woman has been arrested and charged with first degree pre-mediated murder of an elderly woman in Barefoot Bay, Brevard County deputies said.
Jennifer Rose Trent, 36, of the 700 block of Bouganvillea Circle, Barefoot Bay was taken into custody on Wednesday, and is being held in the Brevard County Jail without bond.
Trent murdered Doris Johnson, 70, also a resident of Barefoot Bay, because she wanted the victim’s money, investigators say.
Out-of-state family members became concerned after they couldn’t get in touch with Johnson. That’s when an investigation was launched on January 22, 2015.
According to deputies, Johnson was found deceased and concealed in a shed behind her residence. The Medical Examiner said, she was beaten, suffered head trauma and survived for several days before being suffocated by the suspect.
Investigators learned that Trent had made unauthorized purchased on Johnson’s credit cards totaling about $15,000. Deputies found Trent in possession of the victim’s credit cards, along with forged letters which gave her access to the victim’s financial accounts and residence.
Anyone with information on this crime is urged to call to call Agent Joe Martin of the Homicide Unit at 321-633-8413, or Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS (8477).
