JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The son of an elderly woman killed in her Mandarin apartment said she told him she was assured she'd be safe.
The suspect in the slaying of 80-year-old Virginia Harritt is maintenance worker John Middleton, who was trusted with keys to every apartment in the complex.
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Police said Middleton, 25, turned himself in Saturday and was charged with home-invasion robbery and murder.
Middleton worked at the Woodlake Park Apartments at San Jose Boulevard and Sunbeam Road, where Harritt had recently moved.
Harritt's death has prompted concern about procedures followed before the hiring of maintenance workers. Most jobs require its employees to have a background check. However, the state does not make a background check necessary for those looking to become apartment maintenance workers.
Larry Dodtson, who has been an apartment complex maintenance worker for seven years, said he doesn't take the job lightly.
"My job is highly dependent on trust. People have to trust me to go in their apartments," Dodtson said.
He said when he heard what police said Middleton is accused of, he was shocked.
"I've never heard of anything like that, and I've been in the business for a while," Dodtson said.
Police said Middleton's motive for the Harritt's slaying was to get the woman's ATM pin number.
"My mother told me they assured her she would be safe back here," said Harritt's son, Paul Harritt.
He said he blames the apartments for not keeping his mother safe.
"I want to know why this complex allowed this to happen," Harritt said.
Nobody from the Woodlake Park Apartments has returned calls about its safety policies. Channel 4 learned that Middleton was arrested once for simple battery and had a few traffic offenses on his record.
Most complexes let maintenance workers have access to all spare keys to all apartments. However, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, there are no mandates for background checks on maintenance workers in Florida.
Nonetheless, many complexes in the Jacksonville area said although the law may not require background checks, their companies do.
Dodtson said his company requires mandatory background checks for all workers, and even a traffic offense could mean an applicant could not work at his apartment complex.
"It's a huge trust thing," Dodtson said.
Rep. Dick Kravitz told Channel 4, "Anytime someone has access to someone's home, there should be some sort of requirement for background checks. Because you brought this issue to my attention, I will try to make that change in the next legislative session."
Police continue to search for Harritt's 2003 silver Dodge Caravan. The minivan's tag number is H81BLX. Anyone with information about the minivan is asked to call Crimestoppers at 866-845-TIPS.