The Polk County community is grappling with the horrific murder of a 16-year-old boy, allegedly at the hands of his own father. Stephen Thomas Rodda, 37, is accused of using an angle grinder to kill his son, Stephen Rodda, in a crime that has left law enforcement officials stunned and a family shattered.
Sheriff Grady Judd, visibly shaken during a press conference, described the act as “evil and irrational.” He revealed that the suspect, upon being apprehended, calmly told deputies, “You probably need to read me my rights.” This chilling detail underscores the callous nature of the crime and the suspect’s apparent lack of remorse.
Sheriff Grady Judd speaking at a press conference
The victim, a promising young man about to start his senior year at Frostproof High School, had his whole life ahead of him. He was set to begin a new job at Burger King to save up for a car and aspired to become an electrician. “He was just a stand-up, stellar young man,” said Sheriff Judd, emphasizing the senselessness of the tragedy.
According to investigators, the victim’s grandfather, Thomas Rodda, made the gruesome discovery upon returning home from visiting his wife in rehab. He found his son outside the residence, who casually informed him, “I wouldn’t go in there if I was you. I killed someone. You may need to call the police.”
Thomas Rodda, familiar with his son’s history of drug-induced psychotic episodes, initially dismissed the statement as bizarre rambling. However, the horrifying truth awaited him inside the mobile home.
Stephen Thomas Rodda, described by Sheriff Judd as having “been nothing but a problem to society for a very long time,” has a long rap sheet and a history of methamphetamine use dating back to high school. He had recently returned to the area after drifting from state to state, even evading an outstanding warrant in South Carolina.
The brutal killing has drawn unsettling parallels to another recent tragedy in Lake Wales. Just eight days prior, Brandy Hutchins, also of Lake Wales, fatally shot her two children, aged 10 and 19, before taking her own life.
Aerial view of a mobile home park, similar to where the crime occurred
This disturbing coincidence has amplified the grief and disbelief within the community. In the Hutchins case, a custody dispute spiraled into unimaginable violence. However, unlike Rodda, Hutchins had no prior criminal history or warning signs of potential violence.
The back-to-back tragedies have left the community reeling, with Sheriff Judd expressing the collective sentiment: “We’re devastated and we’re heartbroken for them, and we don’t understand why anyone can ever murder their child, ever, ever. But they did it today.”
Stephen Thomas Rodda faces charges of first-degree murder, and Sheriff Judd has vowed to seek justice for Stephen Rodda and his family, stating his intention to keep the suspect behind bars for the rest of his life.
