FDLE today awarded $10,000 to the anonymous tipster who notified local law enforcement and provided the location of fugitives Boyette and Rice, who were subsequently apprehended by law enforcement.
A killing spree across multiple states, including Florida, ended in Georgia on February 7 when William Boyette committed suicide and Mary Rice was arrested. The tipster had just seen a Facebook post with Boyette and Rice’s photos, as well as the tag number of the vehicle they were driving, when the tipster spotted the car and Rice at a convenience store. After the tag number of the car was verified, the tip was called in to law enforcement describing the location where the fugitives had been spotted. FDLE was informed on February 10 of a person wishing to claim the reward and has been working since to make sure it is awarded.
“It was very important to FDLE that this tipster receive the reward we had contributed. It certainly is well-deserved, because I firmly believe more lives could have been lost if these fugitives remained on the run,” said Jack Massey, Special Agent in Charge at FDLE’s Pensacola Regional Operations Center. “Due to the awareness and dedication of this citizen, who spotted them and took immediate action to report it, a murderous threat to the community was removed. Awarding this individual is the right thing to do.”
He added, “We all play a role in keeping our communities safe. Please report suspicious activity. ‘If you see something, say something.™’ It may well save innocent lives.”