Who killed a Florida wildlife officer? Police arrest a suspect after questioning three

A 20-year-old Florida man was arrested Monday on charges of fatally shooting a state wildlife officer in Hendry County.

Eliceo Hernandez, 20, of LaBelle was charged with negligent homicide. He is being held at the Hendry County Jail on a $500,000 bond.

Julian Keen Jr., an officer with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, was shot and killed early Sunday. The sheriff’s office says the 30-year-old was off duty at the time in LaBelle, which is about 40 miles east of Fort Myers.

Three suspects were taken into custody, according to a sheriff’s office Facebook post. Hernandez was one of the three suspects. The other two were questioned and released, said sheriff’s Capt. Susan Harrelle. It is unclear if there will be additional charges.

The homicide investigation was led by the sheriff’s office major crimes unit and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Investigators believe Keen was trying to stop a reckless driver in the areas of Apache Circle and Nobles Road, Harrelle said.

Keen had been with the FWC since 2016 and grew up in the area, the Fort Myers News-Press reported.

“Our hearts are aching today. He was a remarkable man because of the depths of his commitment to all around him,” said Hendry County Sheriff Steve Whidden.

Anyone with information should contact the major crimes unit at 863-674-0406.

This story was originally published June 15, 2020 at 1:26 PM.