Police are investigating a double homicide that took place early Friday morning in Longboat Key.
After a call came in around 3:30 a.m., Longboat Key Police responded to the Zota Beach Resort on Gulf of Mexico Drive. When they arrived on scene, they found two individuals dead inside of the resort.
The two have been identified as 51-year-old security guard Kevin Carter and 59-year-old front desk clerk Timothy Hurley.
Police believe that it was as a result of an apparent robbery.
"This is unreal it really is unheard for this island," said resident James Buchanan.
Officials do not have a suspect yet, but do have camera images and have released the following surveillance video:
There's now a $50,000 reward for anyone with information about the killer.
The Longboat Key Police Department is being assisted by the Manatee County Homicide Investigation Unit.
The resort has only been open since June 23, and this is the first homicide on the island in 15 years.
Resort guests are being transferred to the Holiday Inn down the street.
Carter 's longtime boyfriend Thomas Swigeart says he first encouraged him to become a security guard three years ago.
"He has been happier and more content doing the security job than he’s ever been doing anything else in the 24 years that I've known him,” Swigeart said.
We spoke with Swigeart not long after he visited the crime scene.
“I'm devastated, I'm upset, I'm heartbroken, I'm mad," said Swigeart. "I want to hurt somebody and yet I still want to curl up and ball and cry.”
Swigeart is now left without his partner of more than two decades.
"I don’t understand why he would want to do that. It makes no sense. Kevin would of, he would have done anything the guy said, he didn’t have to shoot him.”
Matt Morgan, an attorney for Timothy Hurley's family released the following statement on their behalf:
“Tim was the glue that held our family together. We feel lost and hopeless without him. He worked in the hospitality industry because he loved to serve people. He was the most selfless, loving and compassionate man that we have ever known. Our lives will never be the same without him. Please keep our family in your prayers.”
