News and Investigations

News & Investigations

News Releases and Public Information

Welcome to the Polk County Sheriff's Office News Room, where the Public Information Officers (PIO's) post all of the information that they release to the news media. PIO's act as liaisons between news media organizations and the Sheriff's Office. The PIO's routinely release timely and accurate information and Crime Stoppers bulletins, and respond to routine and "breaking news" media inquiries. News releases and Crime Stoppers information can be found on this page.

PCSO's full-time Public Information Officers are Brian Bruchey, Carrie Horstman, and Meghan Petty. The Public Information Officers can be reached by sending an e-mail collectively at PIOs@polksheriff.org.

The recent news releases sent out by the PIOs can be found here, and archived releases (older than 2017) can be found here.

Nov 4, 2022

Two murder suspects from Virgin Islands arrested by Polk County deputies

Media Contact: Brian Bruchey, PIO

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested two murder suspects from the Virgin Islands on Thursday, November 3, 2022.

Deputies, supported by K-9 and Drone units, responded to a residence at 107 Arizona Avenue in Lakeland and quickly arrested the suspects, 30-year old Jonathan Rivera and his girlfriend 28-year old N’zinger Williams at about 5:16 pm.

Both suspects were taken to the PCSO Sheriff’s Processing Center to be booked-in and will await extradition to the Virgin Islands.

“The suspects are wanted for the murder of a 28-year old St. Croix man in June of this year. They are both from the Virgin Islands and came here in late June apparently thinking Polk County would be a good place to flee to. They were obviously wrong.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

The Virgin Islands Police Department St. Croix District is charging Jonathan Rivera with 1st Degree Murder, 1st Degree Assault, 3rd Degree Assault, Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Crime of Violence, 1st Reckless Endangerment, and Unauthorized Possession of Ammunition.

N’zinger Williams is facing charges of 1st Degree Murder, and Accessory After-the-Fact.