Police Stop Attack On Elderly Sex Offender

Police stopped a knife attack on an elderly sex offender in St. Augustine Sunday afternoon.

David Powers, 82, remains in stable condition after two men repeatedly stabbed him in his Daniels Street home.

Isaac Seth Tate, 19, and Douglas Shawn Whitlock, 20, both of St. Augustine, allegedly plotted to kill the man. According to police, the two men were stabbing Powers when police burst into the home.

Police said a witness told them about the robbery and killing before it occured. He said he overheard Tate and Whitlock planning to kill Powers, allegedly because he had made a pass at Tate, a former roommate.

One officer reported seeing two men stabbing Powers in the chest inside the victim's home. The officer then broke into the house as the men fled.

Powers was flown to Shands-Jacksonville with life-threatening injuries.

Tate and Whitlock were later arrested on charges of attempted murder and home invasion robbery.

Powers was convicted of in 1992 for having sex with a 14-year-old boy and for sexually explicit photos of a child. He was sentenced to 24 months of supervision and 10 years probation.

Previous Stories:

• July 5, 2004: Elderly Man Stabbed Several Times During Robbery Attempt