Family of 4 Set Ablaze by Friend in Florida; Police Discover Burnt Human Remains of Victims involving Two Kids; Community in Disbelief after Shocking Incident
Human remains, potentially belonging to two children, were reportedly found by Florida deputies in a burn pit at a property. The man who owns the property has been charged with murder.
Authorities have charged Rory Atwood, 25, with first-degree murder after he reportedly confessed to friends about his involvement in the deaths of the individuals who were previously reported missing. Authorities are still working to identify the human remains, which are suspected to be those of Rain Mancini, 26, Phillip Zilliot II, 25, and their children Karma Zilliot, 6, and Phillip Zilliot III, 5.
A probable cause arrest affidavit was released on Monday, revealing that the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office conducted a welfare check on a family after receiving a concerning report. A woman informed deputies that her brother had received a FaceTime call from Atwood, which allegedly showed the bodies of adults and children. During their search of Atwood’s 10-acre property in western Pasco County, deputies noticed a smoldering burn pit. However, they did not discover anything suspicious and Atwood denied having any knowledge of the family’s whereabouts.
According to reports, he mentioned that his last sighting of Mancini and the Zilliots was on June 12. According to Atwood, the family had been residing with them for a few months. However, they were asked to leave on June 1 due to non-payment of rent.
Deputies contacted Mancini’s mother, who expressed her lack of knowledge regarding her daughter’s whereabouts. She mentioned that their last conversation took place on Wednesday and she has not been in contact with her since. According to deputies, the family has been reported missing.
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Later in the week, Pasco deputies received a call from one of Atwood’s acquaintances, who claimed that Atwood had confessed to the murders of Mancini and the Zilliots, according to the affidavit. Deputies revisited the property accompanied by a cadaver dog. According to the affidavit, detectives determined that the pit measured approximately 10 feet in diameter and showed signs of intense heat, as evidenced by the burned steel threads from tires.
A dog discovered what seemed to be “small skeletal remains” while searching through the burn pit, as stated in the affidavit. Crime scene investigators have discovered what appears to be long bone fragments and two human vertebrae, according to the police. Additionally, it was found that the porch area had been thoroughly cleaned using chlorine.
Authorities suspect that the family spent the night at Atwood’s residence from Wednesday evening until Thursday morning. According to Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco, Atwood’s daughter and a friend of Mancini’s were also present. An argument broke out among the adults while they were drinking, according to Nocco.
“Those two unfortunate children,” Nocco expressed during a Saturday press conference. “It is possible that they are no longer alive on the property, but we cannot confirm this for certain.”
Investigators also interviewed the mother of Atwood’s daughter, who reported receiving a distressed phone call from him at approximately 2:30 a.m. on Thursday. He left his daughter at her destination early in the morning. According to reports, the girl’s mother informed deputies that Atwood was not behaving like his usual self.
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During the interview with investigators, Atwood initially denied any involvement in the tragic incident of the deceased Mancini family. However, Atwood later altered his account and asserted that he acted in self-defense when he fatally injured Mancini and Zilliot during a physical altercation, according to the affidavit.
According to reports, it is claimed that he stated Zilliot was responsible for starting the fire. It is alleged that he then proceeded to kill both Zilliot and Mancini before disposing of their bodies in the pre-existing fire pit. Deputies noted that Atwood did not have any injuries indicating he was involved in a fight.
According to Atwood, the parents were responsible for the children’s deaths. According to the authorities, he eventually confessed that all four family members had been burned in his fire pit as reported by Law&Crime.
Atwood is currently being held at the Pasco County Jail without the possibility of bond. Additional charges are anticipated once the human remains have been identified.
