Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Artavistus Lyndrel Ware, 34, on charges of first degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, tampering with a victim, witness or informant, solicitation to commit murder, solicitation to commit tampering and burglary. A Glades County Grand Jury indicted him last Thursday.
Ware is accused of having Mario Monroy Hughes murdered on Jan. 31, 2014. Hughes was shot to death in his Moore Haven, Florida home days before he was scheduled to testify against Ware in an upcoming drug case, and agents believe Ware had him killed to keep him from testifying.
Even without the testimony of Hughes, Ware was convicted on the drug charges and sentenced to 17 years in prison. He was serving his sentence at Calhoun Correctional Institution in Blountstown, Florida before being brought back to Glades County yesterday to face murder charges.
He was booked into Glades County Jail. The case will be prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney, 20th Judicial Circuit.