The Leon County Sheriff’s Office in Tallahassee, Florida released information regarding three fugitives arrested on Monday, April 4 who are persons of interest in a Polk County homicide.

Leon County issued a news release on Tuesday, April 5 saying that three fugitives from South Carolina are in the Leon County Jail after being arrested by deputies early Monday morning.

Quintae Edwards, Kwame Fernander and Kayla Black are being held at the Leon County Jail on charges related to an armed home invasion robbery and kidnapping in Gainesville, Florida, according to the Leon County Sheriff’s Office.

Edwards, Fernander and Black are three of four persons of interest the Polk County Sheriff’s Office has been searching for since last week who they hope have information regarding the murder of Destry Horne, 51, a truck driver from Lilesville, N.C. who was found with a gunshot wound on the on ramp of U.S. 74 in Columbus around 6 a.m. Thursday, March 31.

The four people are persons of interest after being seen on surveillance cameras at the BP across the street from the murder minutes before a 911 call was made and officers found Horne deceased in his truck. The four were later identified as persons who stole the Ford Mustang they were driving in Columbus out of Greer, S.C. The mustang was discovered in Spartanburg County following a chase and another vehicle was stolen there over the weekend. The three persons of interest were then arrested in Florida on Monday. Polk County and N.C. State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) officers traveled to Florida on Monday, April 4 to question the suspects regarding the Polk County case.

“On Sunday, April 3, the Gainesville Police Department issued a BOLO (Be On Look Out) providing descriptions of individuals and vehicles related to an armed home invasion robbery and kidnapping,” states the Leon County news release. “The suspects were believed to be traveling westbound on Interstate 10 toward Leon County. Early Monday morning, Leon County Sheriff’s Deputies located one of the vehicles and one of the suspects, 24-year old Quintae Edwards in the parking lot in the 3200 block of N. Monroe Streeet. Edwards was taken into custody without incident.

“Upon his arrest, information was developed leading deputies to believe the other two suspects were located at a Best Western on Mahan Drive,” continues the release. “Deputies went to that area and located the second vehicle along with the other two suspects, 23-year-old Kwame Fernander and 19-year old Kayla Black. Both were taken into custody.

“Further investigation revealed all three subjects were wanted for crimes in South Carolina and also ‘persons of interest’ in a homicide in North Carolina.”

More information was released by Florida television news station WTXL on Tuesday regarding the home invasion and kidnapping the three suspects are accused of committing in Gainesville, Florida. The three were arrested after being tracked through an iPhone of a woman who was kidnapped.

According to Florida news reports, the three forced their way into a victim’s apartment after she went outside to get a skateboard late Sunday night, April 3. The suspects reportedly had a gun, tied up the victims with duct tap and ransacked the apartment, according to police reports. The three allegedly took one victim to an ATM machine and got an undisclosed amount of cash, then returned to the apartment, stole a car and took a female victim, according to Florida police reports.

The suspects dropped the victim off at a medical center, but kept her wallet and phone and the police said they were able to track the phone to locate the suspects.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is still looking for the fourth person of interest.

Just after the Polk County homicide just before 6 a.m., March 31, there was an armed robbery at a Landrum convenience store. Polk County officials have not yet determined if the homicide and the armed robbery, that was called in at 6:39 a.m. March 31, are related.

Anyone with information regarding the homicide in Polk County is urged to contact Capt. B.J. Bayne with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office by calling 828-894-3001.