Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Venice, FL: UPDATE: Man arrested in Venice murder investigation

By Robert Eckhart

Published: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 1:00 a.m.
Looking for protection from her fiance, Traci Nabergall told sheriff's deputies he had accused her of having an affair with a neighbor, grabbed her by the throat and threatened to kill her.

Less than a week later, Nabergall, 39, and the neighbor, Jason Salter, 46, were found dead in Salter's home on Park Road outside of Venice. Their bodies were discovered about 8 p.m. Monday.

Tuesday afternoon, deputies arrested the fiancé, John A. Lee, and charged him with violating a court order.

Lee is also being questioned as a “person of interest" in the killings of Nabergalland Salter, said sheriff's spokeswoman Wendy Rose.

Lee, 47, is a longtime resident of Charlotte and Sarasota counties whose last job was as a concrete finisher, court records show. He served 10 years in prison for dealing cocaine and was released in December 2009, state records show.

Lee started dating Nabergall last June, court records show. Neighbors say the two had recently moved into a rental house owned by one of his family members on Park Road.

Once in the neighborhood, they met Salter, a longtime resident of Venice and owner of the home at 2172 Park Road, about five doors down from the rental where Lee and Nabergall were staying.

Lee was arrested on a domestic violence charge on Jan. 19, when he reportedly went home and confronted Nabergall, then barged into Salter's house and punched him in the stomach.

EARLIER TODAY

Sarasota Sheriff's Office investigators were at a south Venice home late Monday night after two people were found dead.

The dead were identified as Jason Salter, 46, listed as resident of the home in the 2100 block of Park Road; and Traci Nabergall, 39, a neighbor.

Sheriff's spokeswoman Wendy Rose said forensics officers were at the home after the bodies were reported found around 8:10 p.m. The crime scene is at a house in a subdivision of small homes near the Venice Groves neighborhood.

Rose said the deaths were labeled suspicious, but that no arrests had been made as of 10:45 p.m. No other information was available late Monday.



This story appeared in print on page BN1

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