Robbery Suspect Bleeds To Death Escaping Crime Scene

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ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- A local animal clinic is back open after a theft turned into a homicide early Friday morning. Police responded to a burglary alarm at the University Animal Hospital near UCF and then discovered a body outside the business. The man police were chasing died from a gash he suffered while trying to escape through a window.

Friday, it's back to business as usual at the animal clinic after a night of unusual circumstances, starting with a burglar mostly likely going after drugs that were kept under lock and key inside the clinic. For those drugs, the suspect traded his life.

A man broke in a skylight and shimmied 20 feet below using a rope. The suspect may have been targeting a popular club drug known as ketamine, or Special "K," usually used an anesthetic on animals, but worth good money on the street.

The man reportedly tripped the alarm at the vet's office and, when sheriff's deputies arrived, he got spooked, tried to get out through a plate glass window and cut himself so badly that he bled to death trying to get to his getaway car.

"We did a search of the building and found a break. Evidently, entry was made through the roof and the subject must have seen the police lights, is what we're assuming, because he fled out a front window," explains Lt. Barbara Miller. "There was a lot of blood on the scene and the trek ended up at a dead body. So, apparently, when the person exited the animal clinic he cut himself so severely he died from those injuries."

For the doctor at the clinic, he says this is the first time someone targeted his business, even though veterinarian offices are commonly hit by thieves.

"First time I've ever had a break in," says Dr. Paul Curasi. "I've had several alarms go off, but usually because animals got loose inside and tripped a motion sensor. This is quite a shock this morning."

Dr. Curasi tells us nothing was missing from his inventory, but sheriff's detectives have not said what was found on the man.

"Nothing was stolen. He fell right next to my cash drawer. There was no money taken. My controlled substances were under lock and key. He didn't get anything, he just lost his life," says Dr. Curasi.

The vet also says he checked the man's identity against his patient database and came up with nothing.

Currently, the suspect's identity is still being concealed until his family is notified.
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