On December 4, 1978, around 7:30 p.m., 27-year-old Frank J. Comeau was following his wife from the Lakeland Blood Bank in a separate vehicle. His wife stopped and picked up a hitchhiker on South Florida Ave and was supposed to drop him off at I-4 & US Highway 98. The hitchhiker pulled a knife on Frank’s wife just north of I-4 on Highway 98 near the Foxfire Restaurant, and attempted to steal the car.  Frank stopped behind his wife’s car and began fighting with the hitchhiker, who drove off, dragging the Frank under the vehicle and running over him. The hitchhiker then lost control of the vehicle, which overturned across from the Foxfire, and fled on foot.

Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit at (863) 298-6379, or send an email to coldcase@polksheriff.org.