Murder Victim identified at Boat Ramp

The man who was found dead yesterday at a boat ramp near Weston has been identified as Edward Brown, 40, from Homestead. His death has been ruled a homicide.

Brown's friends and family became worried after he failed to show up for a Sunday barbecue. An officer with Broward County's Fish and Wildlife Commission reported the discovery of Brown's body yesterday, according to the BSO release. Investigators are asking the public for tips. Full text of the release after the jump.

A family picnic in Miami-Dade County was suddenly filled with trepidation after the designated cook of the family failed to show up for the festivity Sunday morning. Hours later, a Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer in Broward County stumbled upon a crime scene while patrolling a boat ramp that would confirm that family's greatest fear.

The Broward Sheriff's Office dispatch received a call at 5:12 p.m. advising of the discovery of the body at the fishing boat ramp #2, on U.S. 27, about a mile north of I-75. An FWC officer was patrolling the boat ramp and thought it was unusual that a truck was parked on the far end of the parking lot. Upon closer inspection, he noticed a man lying still on the inside and immediately contacted BSO.

BSO deputies, Homicide detectives and Crime Scene responded to the scene. They confirmed there was a man deceased inside a burgundy, 2006 Ford F-150 and had the vehicle towed to the Medical Examiner's Office where an autopsy was performed. The victim was positively identified as 40-year-old Edward Brown and the case has officially been ruled a homicide.

BSO detectives believe someone left the truck at that location between 10 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. The last FWC officer who patrolled the boat ramp Saturday night does not remember seeing the truck there. A fisherman at the boat ramp Sunday afternoon recalls the truck being there at 3 p.m.

The victim's burgundy truck has an extended cab, a hard cover over the flatbed and has a PBA emblem on the license plate. The victim is not in law enforcement.

Anyone who was in the area of the fishing boat ramp #2 and recalls seeing anything unusual is asked to contact BSO Homicide Detective Frank Ilarraza at 954-765-4321 or Crime Stoppers, anonymously, at 954-493-TIPS or browardcrimestoppers.org.