New information 5/14/08 - Edward Allen Covington has been charged with murder in the deaths of Lisa, Zachary and Heather Savannah Freiberg. Covington has admitted his involvement and provided graphic details of the murders. Please scroll to the bottom of the article for updates.
Lutz, FL - Monday, May 12, dawned bright and pretty in Hillsborough County, Florida. But at 1918 S. Mobile Villa Drive in the town of Lutz, something was very, very wrong. A neighbor opened his window a little after ten in the morning to hear a woman screaming “He’s dead! He’s dead!”
At 10:30, the 911 call went out. Shortly after that, three horribly mutilated bodies were found in the trailer house. They have been tentatively identified as Lisa Renee Freiberg, 26, and her children Zachary, 7, and Heather Savannah, 2. A man described only as “associated with the family” was found cowering, alive and mostly unharmed, in a bedroom closet. Even the family pet, a white German Shepherd Dog, had been killed, left in a puddle of blood.
Crime scene technicians are calling this scene one of the worst, one of the bloodiest, they’ve ever encountered. One source says that the victims were tortured - limbs and genitals cut off, faces mutilated, blood everywhere. So terrible was the damage that the bodies couldn’t be identified visually. Even the children’s ages weren’t clear due to the wounds inflicted on the corpses. Some reports say the children were “three or four”, some say “two and seven”, others just don’t know yet.
Lisa’s mother, Barbara Freiberg, is the likely woman who discovered her grandson Zachary killed just inside the entry to the house. Tim Kelly, the neighbor who heard her screams and went to help her, saw the little boy’s body as well. “Uh.. I don’t want to have to experience that again,” he told reporters at the scene.
The man in the closet is rumored to be Lisa’s new boyfriend. It’s said that he was led out of the house in handcuffs and taken to a hospital. He is still being questioned. One witness says there was no blood on the man at all. If true, then it makes one wonder if the man is just a coward, hiding in the closet in his boxer shorts, rather than the killer at such a bloody scene. But where are his clothes? Surely he wore something to the home. Authorities this morning aren’t saying much - it was initially reported that the man was not a suspect, but newer information leads me to think he may be held as a material witness or a person of interest for the time being. There are reports coming in that Barbara Freiberg went to check on Lisa because Lisa Freiberg had been beaten recently.
Edward Allen Covington is the name of the male occupant of Lisa Freiberg’s trailer. I believe he is the boyfriend who was found in the closet. Covington is a former Department of Corrections officer who is on probation for DUI and possession of a controlled substance. A probation officer visited the home on Saturday to see Covington and noted no problems in the probation report.
What about the other men in Lisa Freiberg’s life? Her children had to have a father or fathers. Where is he? Where are they? Did she owe money? Whatever happened, this crime was very personal, and one of intense rage. Motives like suspects are moving in shadows right now, early in the investigation. But someone knows what he - or she, or they - did to Lisa, Zachary and Savannah Freiberg. Someone is going to get caught.
As always, i will update this article as new information is released.
New information 5/13/08 -
Sheriff David Gee has now confirmed that the bodies found belong to Lisa, Zachary and Heather Savannah Freiberg. Authorities believe the three were killed on Mother’s Day. Sheriff Gee is not identifying the man in the closet except to say that he is “not a victim” in this case, and that he is Lisa Freiberg’s boyfriend. In other words, Edward Allen Covington is the closet guy.
Covington, who has been living with Freiberg since the last week of April, was taken to the hospital because he told officers he had “ingested an unknown substance”.
Sheriff Gee says that all three victims were mutilated, and at least one was decapitated. More than one weapon was reportedly used (my source says possible machete), and there are “no suspects on the loose”. Sounds like they think they have their guy.
Imp Thinks This Guy Did It (edited to add: and imp was right…)
UPDATE 5/14/08 - Edward Allen Covington has been charged this afternoon with three first-degree counts of murder in the deaths of Lisa Freiberg, Zachary Freiberg and Heather Savannah Freiberg. Covington has also been charged with three counts of abuse of a corpse, one count of animal cruelty and a probation violation.
Covington has admitted his involvement in the murders, going so far as to provide officers with details described as “extreme” and “graphic”. He tested positive for cocaine at the hospital, and told officers he sold his motorcycle for crack last week. Covington has not provided a motive for the killings, and the medical examiner’s office is still working on the cause of death for the victims, saying only that the victims died by multiple means and that more than one weapon was used.
Updates as I get them, of course.
Wacked
testpattern
AnotherMother
majaka
RACECITYUSA
MadmamainNC
impqueen
MzBehavin
madmommy
jsmine2500
122 responses so far ↓
Pages: « 1 2 [3] Show All
101
impqueen
May 15, 2008 at 7:08 am -He was. From my update to the article above:
Covington has also been charged with three counts of abuse of a corpse, one count of animal cruelty and a probation violation.
102
impqueen
May 15, 2008 at 7:41 am -Nice points made, flutterby - and hiya!
103
thepooh5
May 15, 2008 at 8:23 am -Welcome Flutterby, Anneinchicago, and Texasmist and thanks for posting.
104
anneinchicago
May 15, 2008 at 4:44 pm -http://www.tampabay.com/news/p.....506801.ece
Latest update.
What kills me is that this woman tried. She knew she couldn’t care for Zachary at first so she surrendered custody. She had an abusive boyfriend (not Covington) so she filed charges.
article quote:
Folks who knew her describe a doting mother who packed her kids’ lunches and snacks, who ensured they received the best education, and dressed them impeccably.
At Learning Gate Community School, where Zachary was a first-grader, parents are required to spend up to 40 hours on campus. Freiberg volunteered in the lunchroom and organic garden.
“She was a very dedicated mom,” said principal Patti Girard. “She knew how important education was.”
She also participated in a schoolwide weekend campout and visited her son’s class often.
“They were good people,” said Lisa Arias, Zachary’s teacher.
There but for the grace of God go you or I.
Oh, and however asked about the food stamps and crack head boyfriend, it was investigated and found to be unsubstantiated.
105
April
May 15, 2008 at 7:54 pm -http://www.abcactionnews.com/m.....-24161d780
Here is more. I t looks like the ex-wife has something to say after all. It’s too bad she couldn’t have contacted this poor woman and warned her about this sick fucker. She and her children may be alive today if she had…
106
thepooh5
May 16, 2008 at 12:21 pm -I can’t get the link to open up - keep getting error on that page. Anyone else having problems?
107
Mandella
May 16, 2008 at 12:25 pm -that link isn’t working for me either, Pooh.
108
LeeMouse
May 16, 2008 at 1:43 pm -Try this one re: the ex-wife:
http://tiny.cc/fE9y6
Also:
http://tiny.cc/rYQG9
“Dental Impressions of Slaying Suspect OK’d”:
“…an autopsy revealed a bite mark on the arm of toddler Heather Savannah Freiberg.
The bite mark happened “very close” to the time of her death. They want to see if dental impressions, measurements and photographs will match Covington to the bite mark.”
109
winsomelosesome
May 16, 2008 at 2:08 pm -2 unsubstantiated rumors I read elsewhere:
1) There was also molestation - whether it was ongoing or immediately prior was not divulged.
2) There was cannibalism.
These may be totally out of left field. But both of them claimed to have some source.
110
LeeMouse
May 16, 2008 at 2:53 pm -I wonder if the cannibalism rumor is related to the bitemarks. (Not necessarily that if you have one, you have to have the other, but just because it’s not that far a leap from “toothmarks” to “eating.”)
111
noley
May 16, 2008 at 3:14 pm -I have read these posts and have been aching since learning about this tragic event.
Check out the heartbreaking comments from the parents, and the toddler girl’s father below:
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/m.....cale=EN-US
Hope the link works.
112
solange822001
May 16, 2008 at 3:45 pm -From the ex wife:
“”He told me that he did not want to be with her,” the ex-wife said. “That he was trying to get rid of them and he didn’t know how.”
Then Sunday morning Covington left her a message that got her attention.
“To call him,” she said. “That he really needed to talk to me and he was in really big trouble.”
113
MISSIG
May 16, 2008 at 3:49 pm -HE DIDN’T KNOW HOW? YOU SAY GOODBYE-WHAT A PEICE OF SHIT
114
solange822001
May 16, 2008 at 4:10 pm -Exactly. There is so much wrong with this story I don’t even know where to start. I know this is a stupid question, but what makes people do this? By “this” I mean mutilating and murdering innocent people for no apparant reason, other than rage. What makes a person so insane, so crazy, that they can carry this out? For what? Was he born with some horrific defect in his brain? Did his parents torture him as a child? Someone tell me how someone could do this?
115
April
May 16, 2008 at 4:12 pm -Sorry my link didn’t work. I thought that the remarks the ex-wife made make the story MORE tragic. She may have been able to save this family if she had of spoken up and told the GF that he was dangerous. She knew that the GF had children. What was she thinking??? I had an abusive boyfriend. I damn sure told the girls he dated after me that he was a mental patient. I even asked them to contact the court for info on hime because he had abused, even kidnapped, another girl before he dated me. At least I wouldn’t have to live with myself if he had killed one of them and I didn’t warn her. GRRRRRRR.
116
solange822001
May 16, 2008 at 4:38 pm -April, you are absolutely right. I don’t want to assume, but it’s kind of funny how they were still talking to each other after being divorced, especially with her being so “scared”? It sounds like she was competing with the girlfriend in some way? Something sounds wrong with this
117
April
May 16, 2008 at 4:44 pm -Right. I know I’d be jumping up and down to be chummy with the fucker that broke my wrists and ribs. Shoot - I was never friendly with an ex that even so much a cheated on me. I believe that the ex-wife could have done something before this “murder” occurred. I hope she can sleep at night…..
118
dammitall
May 16, 2008 at 4:45 pm -“”He told me that he did not want to be with her,” the ex-wife said. “That he was trying to get rid of them and he didn’t know how.”
Boy, he must have really misheard that Paul Simon song. The lyric was “just drop off the key, Lee” NOT “just chop off their heads, Ed”.
He looks like a big motherfucker in the video. It’s a shame Lisa took so much care with the kids’ clothes and education if she was just going to bring some demon from hell into their lives. She could have saved herself the effort.
119
April
May 16, 2008 at 4:49 pm -Her little boy is the (was the) same age as my son. The look a little alike too. This is just too sad for words.
Women have to be more selective who they bring into their children’s lives. There is nothing wrong with a background check. I know it’s not foolproof - but it’s something. This particular asshole - looking at him should have done it for her. He’s creepy…….
120
Reputable
May 17, 2008 at 12:12 pm -This sicko had the earmarks of becoming a human abuser/mutilator before being caught doing this in 2005 & I am wondering what else has he done that he hasn’t been caught or looked at in other crimes?
http://www.tampabay.com/news/p.....503211.ece
On Monday afternoon, Covington’s father told the Times his son was an “ordinary person.”
A Tampa police report, however, outlines accusations that he mutilated and killed three cats, smashing one’s skull.
In January 2005, Tampa police went to his home after receiving a worried call from his father.
Officers found Edward Covington on the living room floor. “I don’t want to die like this,” he told them, crying, a police report said. He was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital under the Baker Act.
In his kitchen, police wrote, they found three dead cats that “appeared to be mutilated.” He was never prosecuted. Prosecutors would not comment, and Covington’s family declined to discuss the incident.
For more on the Abuse Connection:
http://www.pet-abuse.com/pages.....ection.php
121
crimenthusiast
May 18, 2008 at 5:43 pm -I can’t beleive the ex-wife didn’t try to warn the girlfriend. April, good for you to tell about your ex’s behavior. I was physically and mentally abused by my last 2 relationships. If I ever found if they were dating or whom they were dating, I would be sure to let them know.
This does make the story more tragic. Somehow the ex should have to be punished. She is sort of responsible for this as well, but then I’m sure others would say, he may still have done it if she did tell the current girlfriend. Now we will never know the outcome had she told.
122
funkmama
Jul 1, 2008 at 12:13 pm -God. Oh my God. Oh my God….
I don’t even know where to start on this guy.
Oh. My. God.
Pages: « 1 2 [3] Show All
You must log in to post a comment.