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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Andrea Cavallier

Man arrested after three tourists found dead in Florida

A Florida man has been charged with murder after three tourists were found shot dead outside a rental home this weekend in a popular Kissimmee vacation neighborhood not far from Disney’s theme parks.

Ahmad Jihad Bojeh, 29, was arrested at his home next door to the rental property, according to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. Two firearms were recovered from the home and investigators are working to determine if either was used in the killings.

Deputies responded to the rental property at Indian Point Circle in the Indian Hills subdivision around 12:14 p.m. Saturday and found three men outside the home dead from gunshot wounds.

Sheriff Christopher Blackmon said during a news conference that the victims were tourists who had become stranded at their rental property because of car trouble.

He identified the victims as Robert Lewis Kraft, 70, of Holland, Michigan, and his brother Douglas Joseph Kraft, 68, of Columbus, Ohio. Blackmon said Douglas Kraft was the twin of the fourth man who had already returned home. Detectives were trying to reach the family of the third victim before releasing his identity, he said.

Ahmad Jihad Bojeh was arrested after three men were found shot to death outside a home in the Indian Point subdivision near Kissimmee, Florida (Osceola County Jail)

“As of right now, we have nothing. Just looks like a random – but again, the investigation, you know, it’s ongoing. It’s fresh, it’s new. We’re just a little bit over 24 hours into it, so we’re trying to gather the facts,” Blackmon said.

“I can tell you he was a threat to the neighborhood all the time. We had a lot of calls for service on this person in that area, so he was a known person, a frequent flier to the sheriff’s office.”

Blackmon emphasized that the suspect is in custody. “There is no threat to the community, as a suspect of these horrific and senseless murders has been caught and arrested by Osceola County deputies,” he said.

The shooting happened in an area frequented by tourists visiting Walt Disney World and nearby golf courses.

Resident Adam Andersen told WESH News that the shooting has rattled the neighborhood.

“It’s a little concerning,” Andersen said. “I have a daughter, thank God she’s not here. It’s concerning, especially that this individual was shot publicly in an open area like a gas station over a simple thing as an argument and was released. It’s scary but not surprising, you know.”

Court records obtained by ClickOrlando show Bojeh was previously arrested in 2021 after allegedly firing at a person and at random vehicles in a Wawa gas station parking lot in Kissimmee, injuring one man who survived. He was later acquitted by reason of insanity.

Bojeh appeared in court Sunday where a judge found probable cause to hold him at the Osceola County Jail without bond. He is charged with three counts of murder.

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