CLEWISTON, Fla. — Hendry County officials are currently searching a canal area along a stretch of northbound US-27 as part of the ongoing investigation into the 2019 murder of "Bee Love" Slater.
A post from the Hendry County Sheriff's Office says members of the Criminal Investigation Division are teaming with a dive team and "other numerous agencies from South Florida" in searching the area.
More than 75 personnel are involved in the search, which officials said is for potential evidence connected with the homicide investigation. Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Palm Beach, and Highlands deputies are assisting, as are Cape Coral police and officials from the Florida Wildlife Commission.
The length of the highway between Clewiston and Moore Haven will be affected by the search.
Officials say the search is expected to last throughout the day. Travelers are advised to drive carefully through the area.
Marcus Thompson was arrested in December in connection with Slater's death. The body of "Bee Love," a transgender woman from the Pahokee area, was found badly burned inside a vehicle in Clewiston in September 2019.
“This was a heinous crime," said Sheriff Steve Whidden in a written statement about Wednesday's search. “Our detectives with the Major Crimes Unit are relentless. We are going to continue to follow up on every lead we get. We want justice for Slater and closure for the family.”
