MACCLENNY, FLORIDA: On August 1, Baker County Sheriff’s Office deputies discovered the bodies of David “Daniel” Sigers and James Michael “Bo” Thomas in an apartment building off Sawtooth Road. Both men suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Baker County, Florida, Sheriff Scotty Rhoden stated that it had been so many years since the county had seen a homicide that he could not remember the most recent. Speaking at a news conference on August 3, Rhoden stated, “Autopsies have been performed… We can say that these two people were brutally killed and it is possible that they were the intended victims. Don’t allow any misunderstanding about this; the murder was carried out in the manner of an execution.
People in this sparsely populated county of about 30,000 are appalled by the horrifying circumstances surrounding the incident, as a significant portion of the case remains a mystery. There are no known suspects and there is no known motive. Investigators assumed they had been shot over the weekend. According to the Miami Herald, the sheriff’s office statement reads: “Deputies entered the residence and found two adult males in different locations of the home who appeared to have died from gunshot wounds.”
The Macclenny County Sheriff’s Office is offering a prize of $5,000 to anyone who can provide information about the murder of two men in that city. Along with the sheriff’s office, the Florida Sheriffs’ Association (FSA) Criminal Apprehension Assistance Program (CAAP) is investigating the double homicide that took place. The number of times the boys were shot, why detectives believe they were the intended target, and why the crime scene is described as “brutal” are among the elements that have not been released. Rhoden also stated that there is no evidence linking the murders to drug use. According to authorities, Sigers had no criminal history, although Thomas’ file contained only “a few charges of minor misdemeanors.”
Investigators have asked locals in the area to report anything unexpected or unusual that may have happened during the weekend. Rhoden maintains that there is nothing that can be considered insignificant. According to an obituary, the incident took place at Sigers’ residence, where he had “lived a quiet, secluded existence.” The obituary states that he “was a lifelong citizen of Baker County” and that he served in the US Army after playing nose guard for Baker High School’s football team.
According to his obituary, Thomas was another Macclenny native who attended Baker High School during his formative years. In addition to being a father to four children, he was also the owner of Bo Thomas Construction LLC. According to the obituary written for Thomas, he was a member of both the Whiskey Moon String Band and the Modern Day Troubadours. Both men were talented musicians and avid hunters. The sheriff’s office claims there is no evidence of an “imminent threat” to the people living in the very sparsely populated area. Despite this, fears were not allayed, nor were speculations about motivation stopped. There are many people with questions, but none of them are answered at the moment.
Any idea why they were singled out? If they were the target, how do you know that if they successfully target them, they aren’t targeting someone else in the same general region? Angie Vlacos Sams posted the question on the Sheriff’s Office Facebook page. “It was obviously the work of more than one person. Micah Morrison stated in his letter that this “must have been 2 or more”. “Someone has some inside information! “People are talking,” remarked Eric Howard. “People talk.” According to what Michelle Dawn Lowe Baughman said on Facebook, “Say your prayers, lock all doors and have your gun ready.”