Florida sheriff says detectives solve murder of World War II veteran who became milkman in 1968

VERO BEACH, Fla. — More than 50 years after a World War II veteran was murdered while working as a milkman in Florida, investigators have solved the case thanks to two people who came forward after the killer’s death. announced that it was done.

Hiram “Ross” Graham was delivering milk in April 1968 when he couldn’t get home after work. Deputies later found his body and the milk truck deep in the woods in the Vero Beach area, the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. He had been shot several times.

The case remained unsolved, and no arrests were made for 56 years.

“Thanks to determination and the cooperation of witnesses, new leads have emerged. Thomas J. Williams, now deceased, confessed to Graeme’s murder, and his guilt continues from beyond the grave,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. It’s echoing,” he said.

Graham, a World War II veteran and Purple Heart recipient, became a “beloved milkman” after settling in Indian River County after the war, authorities said.

Witnesses told police they saw Graham talking to two men who were walking on the side of the road, WPEC-TV reported.

“She stated that Mr. Graeme got them into a conversation and announced that he would be back soon,” Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers said. He said the two unidentified men and Graham all left in a milk truck.

Graham’s son Larry, who was 16 at the time, told the TV station: “Other than my dad coming home a little bit late and then the sheriff’s deputies and investigators showing up, the family didn’t realize what had happened.” told the TV station.

During a ground and air search of the area, the milk truck and Graham’s body were discovered by a plane.

“When they first arrived at the scene, Mr. Graham was lying next to the milk truck in an executed position with a gunshot wound,” Flowers said.

In 2006, there were rumors that Williams was involved. So he wrote a letter to the editor of a local newspaper stating that he was accused of murder, but that he did not know about it and that he had no involvement in the incident, the sheriff said. Ta.

The case was solved again, and Mr. Williams died in 2016.

For the past two years, detectives had taken a major break in the case because Mr. Williams was already dead. Williams’ ex-wife and a friend of his sister came forward and told investigators what they knew, a Florida television station reported.

Flowers said witnesses told investigators that Williams had previously confessed to killing Graham, although they did not know each other.

“They said, ‘As long as he was alive, we would never have told you because he was a threat to me and my family.’ But the fact that he has now passed away. gave them the courage to come forward,” Flowers said.

Detectives are now hoping anyone with information about the second man Graeme was seen with before he was killed will get in touch.