INDIANAPOLIS — An Indiana man who walked out on his wife and children 23 years ago has been living in Florida under a name he stole from a dead man, police said.
The unusual story spans decades and states, involving a man who apparently ran from the law in Indiana to find himself locked up in jail in Florida — all while starting a new family, buying property and registering vehicles under the new name.
"It's absolutely incredible," said Detective Anthony Cardillo, lead investigator with the
In 1993, Richard J. Hoagland left his wife, four children and home in Fishers, Ind. He had apparently stolen from his employer, Cardillo said, and knew authorities were coming after him. His Fishers wife told investigators that Hoagland embezzled millions of dollars, Cardillo said.
Records show Hoagland was charged with theft in Marion County, Ind., and a warrant was issued for his arrest in October 1993. It's unclear whether the charge was connected to the story his wife told investigators.
After he ran from Indiana, Hoagland ended up in West
Detective Anthony Cardillo, lead investigator with the Pasco County (Fla.) Sheriff's Office
Hoagland found a death certificate in the room, Cardillo said. Then, using the information he acquired while living there, Hoagland obtained the man's birth certificate, authorities say. He used the birth certificate to obtain an Alabama driver's license. In 1994, police say Hoagland was granted a Florida license under the new name.
Since 1994, Hoagland, now 63, lived in
Under the assumed identity, police say Hoagland got married, had a child, got credit cards and registered vehicles. He and his Florida wife obtained mortgages and purchased property in Pasco County. He even got a private pilot's license, police said.
The deception started to unravel about three years ago, Cardillo said, when the real Terry Symansky's nephew searched online genealogy records at ancestry.com.
The nephew found his uncle's death certificate online, and also saw a marriage certificate and pilot's license which were granted after Terry Symansky's death. The family waited several years to tell police, Cardillo said, because initially they thought there might have been a mistake and later they were afraid that the fake Symansky might harm them.
Another law enforcement agency handed the case over to Cardillo, who specializes in financial crimes, on May 23. Last week, Cardillo said he was waiting outside the Zephyrhills home listed in Symansky's name when the suspect drove up and left his car.
"He told me his name was Terry Symansky. He showed me his driver's license and gave me the Social Security number for Terry Symansky," Cardillo said. "Then I showed him the death certificate."
