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Pasco County detectives to announce new developments in 7-year-old cold case

Posted at 5:25 AM, Oct 13, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-13 05:53:42-04

Major developments are expected to be announced on Thursday in a Pasco county murder investigation that spans seven years.

It was back in 2009 that a gruesome discovery was made in the woods near a Flea Market in Port Richey. On Thursday, we could get possible suspect information.

ABC Action News has been following this case for some time. 

"The key to solving this case is first identifying the individual. Once we can identify him. The case takes on a whole new life," said Sgt. Eric Seltzer with the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.

Thanks to a team of Forensics investigators with the University of South Florida the victim was recently identified.

The skeletal remains of the man were found in the woods near the USA Flea Market in Port Richey on November 20, 2009.

The Pasco County Sheriff's Office investigation revealed that he had been murdered and burned. Investigators told ABC Action news they can't give up on cases like this.

"They are either missing a brother or a father or somebody like that. That they maybe just lost contact with and don't realize that maybe this could be this family member," said Detective Robert Grady with the Pasco County sheriff's office.

Investigators are hopeful the information they continue to gather will be key to figuring out exactly what led to this murder.

A press conference has been set for 2 p.m. on Thursday afternoon to discuss the latest information on this case.