SARASOTA, Fla. - The body of an 11-year-old girl whose abduction was captured by a surveillance camera, has been found in a church parking lot and a mechanic has been charged with her murder, officials said Friday.
Our prayers on behalf of everybody here in Sarasota County go out to the family, said Sarasota County Sheriff Bill Balkwill.
Her body was found around 1 a.m. Friday outside a church a few miles from the car wash where she was taken.
Balkwill said Joseph P. Smith, 37, has been charged with her murder. He is believed to be the tattooed man in a mechanics shirt who was seen in a car wash surveillance video leading Brucia away by the arm Sunday evening, authorities said.
Investigators found the body after negotiations with Smith, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Earlier, authorities had said he was not cooperating.
We now stand ready to complete our obligation, and assure you that he will pay the ultimate price for what he did to her, Capt. Jeff Bell said.
The girls father, Joe Brucia, somberly thanked all the (law enforcement) people behind me and all the people that were behind them in their efforts to find my daughter. He also thanked the community that was so involved.
Prayer at church, home
The Central Church of Christ was surrounded by yellow crime scene tape Friday, and about a dozen detectives walked in a line across the field in an evidence sweep. They declined to comment.
Carlies stepfather, Steven Kansler, and some friends gathered at the edge of the church property Friday morning, kneeling in a prayer circle.
Rod Myers, the churchs minister, said a Bible study group met there Wednesday night but nobody saw the body because it was dark.
We are all upset about it, and we all feel helpless when things like this happen, Myers said.
In the front yard of Carlies home, decorated with banners and posters reading, We love you, Carlie, another small group of supporters joined hands and bowed their heads in prayer. The girls family includes Carlies 6-year-old half-brother and a 10-year-old stepbrother.
Smith was taken into custody earlier in the week on a probation violation charge unrelated to the disappearance of Brucia, whose apparent abduction Sunday was captured by a car wash surveillance camera. A telephone tip led authorities to link him to the video.
Smith has been arrested at least 13 times in Florida since 1993, according to state records. He was arrested in 1997 in Manatee County on kidnapping and false imprisonment charges, but was acquitted a year later.
Smith served 17 months in prison for heroin possession and prescription drug fraud and was released in 2003. He was arrested eight days later on the cocaine possession charge and was placed on probation for three years.
In 1998, he was acquitted of kidnapping and false imprisonment of a 20-year-old woman. She told deputies that he got on top of me and told me to shut up or he would cut me.
Smith called it a misunderstanding.
He testified he believed the woman was going to try to harm herself by throwing herself into traffic, said prosecutor Brian Iten, who said the acquittal surprised him. He said she misinterpreted his actions because of his tattoos.
Ron and Linda Thompson, neighbors of Smith, said they were shocked that he was linked to the disappearance, but conceded that the videotape looks like him.
We havent known any side of Joe that would indicate that hes capable of this, Linda Thompson said on NBCs Today Wednesday. Hes always great with his kids. ... Were stunned.
Ron Thompson said he knew Smith had a prescription drug problem stemming from a back injury.
Another neighbor, Ernest Riley, told the Miami Herald that Smith had a "troubled past," but was "in the process of trying to turn his life around."
He said Smith is a loving father whose care extended to neighborhood children. He said Smith put up a sign in front of his house that read, "caution, children playing."
Things like this make me totally sick. I will definitely be praying for the girl's family and also that Smith is found guilty and sentenced SEVERELY.
