LAKELAND, Fla. – A nearly seven-and-a-half-year mystery has been solved. Detectives from the Lakeland Police Department’s (LPD) Violent Crimes Unit have arrested Rex Honors III, the victim’s half-brother, in connection with the 2018 murder of 14-year-old Rex Honors IV.
Honors III, who was 21 at the time of the murder, has been charged with Second Degree Murder, Tampering with Physical Evidence, and Resisting an Officer Without Violence. He is currently being held in a jail in Albany, Georgia, on unrelated charges, where investigators served the warrant.
The Original Scene and Cold Trail
The investigation began on July 3, 2018, at 4:22 a.m., when LPD officers responded to 845 West Crawford Street. Honors III called 911 to report his younger brother missing, claiming he arrived home to find a broken table and an open sliding glass door, suggesting a possible burglary.
Officers checked the property and located Honors IV deceased in the backyard, hidden within thick vegetation. The victim had suffered a gunshot wound to the head.
Although Honors III was the primary suspect at the time, investigators lacked the probable cause needed for an arrest. Honors III had failed to mention to the 911 dispatcher the blood trail that responding officers immediately observed throughout the home, and no valuable items appeared to have been stolen. With leads exhausted, the case was classified as a cold case.
Reopening the Case and Forensic Breakthroughs
The case was officially reopened on May 19, 2025, by Cold Case Investigator Gary B. Gross, assisted by Detective Virgil Cardin.
Investigators reinterviewed witnesses and leveraged significant advancements in technology. A forensic examination of devices originally obtained in 2018 revealed facts previously unavailable. The examination of over 72,000 digital pieces of evidence proved Honors III’s initial claims were false, as his phone showed no outgoing calls to the victim, disputing his claim he had tried to call.
A key development came from a witness reinterviewed in 2025. The witness stated that Honors III and the victim were the only two people inside the home and were physically fighting before the witness left around 3:00 a.m. The witness reported hearing a gunshot shortly after leaving, but did not disclose this vital information earlier, citing fear of retaliation.
The Confession and Contradictory Evidence
On October 15, 2025, Investigator Gross and Detective Cardin interviewed Honors III in Albany, Georgia. When confronted with the new evidence and witness statements, Honors III admitted to having an argument and physical fight with his brother.
Honors III claimed he shot his brother in self-defense after the victim allegedly pointed a firearm at him from six feet away. Crucially, Honors III admitted to dragging the victim’s body outside, and then actively cleaning up the crime scene inside the residence using bleach and rags, which he later disposed of along with the two firearms.
Investigators quickly determined that the details of the incident contradicted a self-defense claim:
- The Medical Examiner’s report indicated the victim was shot at close range, directly disputing Honors III’s distance claim.
- Honors III did not call for medical attention, but waited over an hour to call 911 and report his brother missing, offering false narratives of a runaway or a burglary.
- His actions of moving the body, cleaning the scene, and disposing of evidence demonstrated a clear effort to hinder the investigation.
On October 30, 2025, the arrest warrant was obtained, securing the charges against Honors III.
Investigator Gross commented on the resolution, stating, “Working on this cold case was challenging, but our dedication to bringing closure to the family made it worthwhile. While nothing can erase their pain, ensuring the Victim’s voice is heard and remembered means everything.”
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ORIGINAL REPORT: After more than seven years, detectives from the Lakeland Police Department’s (LPD) Violent Crimes Unit have announced an arrest in the long-unsolved 2018 murder of 14-year-old Rex Honors IV.
The case, which had grown cold, was recently reopened by LPD’s Cold Case Investigators. Through a dedicated effort utilizing advances in technology and additional interviews, investigators were able to identify and apprehend a suspect, bringing a measure of closure to the victim’s family.
The tragic incident occurred in the early morning hours of Tuesday, July 3, 2018. At 4:22 a.m., Lakeland Police officers responded to a suspicious incident report at a residence located at 845 West Crawford Street.
The call was made by the victim’s older brother, Rex Honors III, who was 21 at the time. He reported to officers that he had arrived home and was unable to locate his younger brother.
Upon checking the residence, officers made the grim discovery of the body of Rex Honors IV, deceased, in the backyard.
Lakeland Police will hold a press conference on Wednesday to release details on the investigation and arrest. This story will be updated.
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