Two arrested in slaying of firefighter, sheriff says
LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA – Two people have been arrested in the killing of a Coral Springs firefighter, Sheriff Greg Tony told mourners Thursday morning at Christoper Randazzo’s memorial service.
Tony made the announcement in front of about 800 people — family, friends and law enforcement — who gathered at a Coral Springs hotel for the service, just before the funeral. People erupted into applause.
Tony also told mourners that
“we have a confession” in the case and that four people have been identified as suspects.
But the agency could not produce public records throughout the day Thursday after Tony’s announcement, saying they didn’t have the information about who was actually arrested. A spokeswoman for the State Attorney’s Office said no arrest records were available.
Also, the Broward Sheriff’s Office would not explain why they would not release the iden
tities of the people who were arrested.
The agency has been tightlipped about the murder of the friendly firefighter known for quick one-liners. The agency has not disclosed a possible motive or said how Randazzo was killed.
Still, Randazzo’s former bosses were pleased with the announcement: “We’re very thankful for the Sheriff’s Office and all of their hard work to bring the people responsible for this to justice,” said Coral Springs Fire Chief Frank Babinec on Thursday.
Randazzo, 39, was last seen at 1 a.m. Saturday leaving Aruba Beach Cafe, the seaside restaurant where he was a barback and bartender for about 20 years before pursuing firefighting, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Sheriff’s investigators said Randazzo “was frequenting the bars in the area” on the night he was killed.
His body was found outside of a hotel along El Mar Drive.
A woman called 911 to report seeing him on the ground. The woman sent her husband outside to try to speak with the man and then reported: “My husband thinks he’s dead,” the caller said.