Rory Atwood, Hudson, Florida landlord likely killed missing family of four renting on his property, remains found in backyard fire pit. Victims id as Rain Mancini, 26, Phillip Zilliot II, and their two children, Karma, 6, and Phillip III, 5.
A Florida landlord has been accused of murdering a young family of four who lived on his property after their remains were found in a backyard fire pit.
Rain Mancini, 26, Phillip Zilliot II, 25, and their children Karma, 6, and Phillip III, 5, went missing on June 12 in Pasco County, Florida.
Rory Atwood, 25, was charged with one count of first-degree murder after the family’s remains were found at his home which were charred beyond recognition.
‘He said he shot somebody and was frantic,’
The family were last seen in the Nottingham Trl area of Hudson on June 12 around 12.30am.
On June 14, police performed a welfare check on the family after a woman told officers her brother had seen bodies during a FaceTime call with Atwood, ABC Action News reported.
Atwood had reportedly called the brother Thursday morning circa 2am asking for help to burn what he claimed was garbage.
But during the call the man reportedly saw ‘adult and child bodies’.
‘He said he shot somebody and was frantic,’ the brother allegedly said according to an affidavit.
When police first went to Atwood’s home in Hudson he allowed them to search the property and they did not find anything suspicious.
Second search carried out
The next day, police received a call from a man who claimed Atwood had ‘admitted to killing his roommates and their children,’ an affidavit stated.
It was only when officers returned to carry out a second search with cadaver dogs that they discovered the missing young family’s remains.
A dog found what ‘appeared to be a small skeletal remains’ with soft tissue in a fire pit, according to USA TODAY.
They also reportedly found human bone fragments and vertebrae.
‘We believe it may be this family, but at the same time, I can’t give a definitive until…the [medical examiner] gives us final confirmation that it is,’ Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco said Saturday during a press conference.
Atwood told police he had got into a fight with the parents over a gun in the lead up to their deaths, according to a criminal complaint.
He reportedly said he had used ‘adrenaline’ to drag their bodies to the firepit.
Pending identification of discovered remains
Added Sheriff Chris Nocco: ‘Around 4:30 in the afternoon (Friday), our deputies observed Rory Atwood, we see him out there, he gives us permission to go back onto the property, which we start doing a more extensive search.
‘We have human remain dogs, bloodhounds, aviation, deputies; because of the search, we’re able to find human remains.
‘This, along with several admissions, is what led to Rory Atwood being charged with first-degree homicide.’
Atwood told officers that he had evicted the family on June 1 when they failed to pay rent, and then they had come back unexpectedly on June 12.
Atwood had been renting his place to the family and claimed the father had come into his bedroom with a knife and the two fought before all three of the adults struggled over a knife and a gun.
During the fight, he said the parents were shot multiple times.
Mancini, 26, and Phillip, 25, were reportedly drinking with Atwood on Wednesday night when an argument ensued, a friend told Pasco County sheriff officials, according to WFLA.
‘Before leaving, Rain’s friend hears someone say, ‘because the last time this happened, you pulled a gun on us,’ referring to Rory,’ Nocco said, per WFLA. ‘We do not have any police reports about that.’
The family of four were not seen again and a missing report was filed on Friday.
The remains have not yet been formally identified, with Atwood to date having been only charged with one murder of a ‘John Doe’ at the time of publishing.
He has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bond.
