Frostproof murder trial postponed until 2025

FROSTPROOF, Fla. – A mother and father in Frostproof are outraged because the trial of the father accused of murdering their son has been postponed again more than four years after his death.

According to prosecutors, Tony “TJ” Wiggins killed Brandon Rollins and two others in 2020 over a dispute over a truck engine.

Rollins' parents, Dottie Payton and Cyril Rollins, just want justice after the three men were gunned down while fishing near Lake Streety. Just three days later, Wiggins, his girlfriend and his brother were arrested; Wiggins was charged with capital murder.

While the latter two agreed to a plea deal, Wiggins was due to go on trial last month. However, the murder trial has been repeatedly postponed because a more recent federal case has brought charges related to a weapons offense involving the alleged murder weapon.

“Very excited,” says Cyril. “I don't know what the federal police have against the boy, but they have something against him.”

The federal lawsuit was filed last year, but it wasn't until last week that Payton and Rollins' future in court was resolved. That came after a murder hearing that said the federal lawsuit will be heard before the murder trial in the state capital, pushing back a possible closure until 2025 or later.

“It's really annoying because this should have been over by now, but it's not,” Payton said. “Why didn't they start this sooner? Why did they wait almost four years before our trial was supposed to begin before they took him into federal custody?”

Wiggins' trial could begin in October and is expected to last about a week. His next court date in the murder trial is not until the end of December.

“They're just pushing me down,” Rollins said. “They have to wait until the feds are done.”

Both still want Wiggins to receive the death penalty and are putting aside the idea of ​​a lesser sentence if it means the ordeal will end sooner.

“No,” Payton said. “As long as it takes, he's going to get the death penalty. None of these guys had a chance to say, 'Do I live or do I die?'”

So they will continue to wait for the justice they believe their son deserves.

“He has to pay for his actions,” Rollins said. “He didn't just take one. He took three.”