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Timeline: Arrest made in string of Seminole Heights murders

Tampa police are investigating four suspicious deaths - on Oct. 9, Oct. 11, Oct. 19 and Nov. 14 - in the Seminole Heights neighborhood.
People gather for a candlelight vigil in Seminole Heights neighborhood on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017.

TAMPA, Fla. -- A suspect is in police custody and charged with four counts of murder for each shooting death in the Seminole Heights neighborhood.

Here’s a timeline of the four murders:

Oct. 9 – Police find Benjamin Edward Mitchell, 22, killed at a bus stop along North 15th Street and East Frierson Avenue.

Oct. 13 – Tampa police said a gunman shot and killed Monica Caridad Hoffa. Officers found Hoffa's body early the morning of Friday, Oct. 13 near the intersection of East New Orleans Avenue and North 10th Street.

Hoffa, 32, was shot on Oct. 11, according to Tampa Interim Police Chief Brian Dugan.

Police also released a video asking the public for help identifying a man who might be able to solve Mitchell's case.

Oct. 17 – Tampa police cited “circumstances” and proximity of the killings as to why investigators believe Mitchell and Hoffa’s cases are related. The two locations of the killing are within 10 blocks or about a half mile of each other in the southeast Seminole Heights area.

Watch: Click or tap here to watch the Oct. 17 news conference in its entirety

Oct. 19 – Tampa police respond to a third victim killed in the Seminole Heights neighborhood. Police believe the murder is related to the murders of Mitchell and Hoffa.

Watch: Click or tap here to watch the Oct. 19 news conference in its entirety

Oct. 20 – The Tampa Police Department identified Anthony Naiboa as the third victim killed in the Seminole Heights neighborhood. Naiboa, 20, took the wrong bus home when he was shot to death the day before around 8 p.m. Thursday.

Interactive map: See a map of where the victims were killed in the Seminole Heights neighborhood

Watch: Click or tap here to watch the Oct. 20 news conference in its entirety

Oct. 21 - Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction in the Seminole Heights killings.

Oct. 22 – Hundreds of people joined together in a vigil to honor the victims by quietly walking with candles in hand to the locations where police found each victim.

Oct. 23 - Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, city leaders and Seminole Heights residents gathered to discuss the recent murders. Some business owners near the Seminole Heights area worry recent progress could be slowed or totally upended by the murders.

Watch: Click or tap here to watch the Oct. 23 gathering its entirety

Oct. 25 - Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, once again, called on police officers to hunt down the “son of a b***h” who investigators believe is responsible for the random killings of three people in Seminole Heights.

“This guy is not going to win,” Buckhorn said while addressing officers during a special roll call Wednesday afternoon in Giddens Park. “He’s not taking over this neighborhood. You guys go hunt him down and bring his head to me.”

Several Seminole Heights businesses also held events to get people together and comfortable about being out and about in the community.

Oct. 26 - The message from Tampa police is clear: "We need names, not speculation" in figuring out who committed three murders in the Seminole Heights neighborhood.

Tampa Interim Police Chief Brian Dugan released new footage Thursday afternoon he says is related to the shooting deaths. A person is seen in the video taken on the night of the first murder on Oct. 9 -- the murder of Benjamin Mitchell.

Oct. 31 - Mayor Bob Buckhorn and Interim Police Chief Brian Dugan trick-or-treated in the Seminole Heights neighborhood for Halloween.

Nov. 9 - Anyone with information leading to the arrest and conviction of the Seminole Heights neighborhood killings could be eligible for an ever-increasing reward.

It now stands at $41,000 as investigators continue to work to figure out who killed three people in October, Tampa Police Department Eddy Durkin said.

Nov. 14 - Until evidence says otherwise, Tampa police are relating the Tuesday, Nov. 14 shooting death in the Seminole Heights neighborhood to the three earlier October murders.

Responding officers found a man dead near North Nebraska Avenue near East McBerry Street.

Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan identified the victim as 60-year-old Ronald Felton. It's believed Felton was crossing the street to meet with someone when a suspect came up from behind and shot him, Dugan said.

Nov. 15 - The Tampa Police Department released new surveillance video, which shows the suspect in the Seminole Heights murders.

Authorities have increased the reward to help find the Seminole Heights killer to $91,000. Anyone with information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killings could be eligible for the reward.

Watch: New surveillance video shows suspect in Seminole Heights murders

Nov. 16 - The reward money for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in the Seminole Heights murders has increased to $100,000.

Gov. Rick Scott ordered the Florida Highway Patrol to send in troopers to help Tampa police. The help is in addition to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's presence in Seminole Heights.

Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan and the NAACP held a meeting about the community's concerns of the suspect.

Nov. 18 - New Season Apostolic Ministries held a canned food drive in honor of Ronald Felton.

Nov. 20 - The David A. Straz Jr. Foundation donated $10,000 to the reward money to find the Seminole Heights killer. The reward stands at $110,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those involved in the killings since October.

A representative at Aikens Funeral Home said the funeral for Ronald Felton would be open to the public. The service for Felton is set for 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 25 at Allen Temple A.M.E. Church in Ybor City, Florida.

The community also held an appreciation dinner for the first responders working to find the Seminole Heights killer.

Nov. 28 - Police responded to an Ybor City McDonald's; recovered a gun and took someone into custody for questioning.

Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan said he was "optimistic" it was related to the Seminole Heights killings.

Hours later, police confirmed they arrested a suspect in the string of Seminole Heights murders.

Howell Donaldson III, 24, will be charged with four counts of first-degree murder.

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