Manatee Sheriff Arrests Bradenton Man For Killing, Burning Woman

BRADENTON, FL – A 23-year-old Bradenton man will appear before a judge Wednesday, April 4 to be formally charged for the murder of a 50-year-old blind woman.

Dakota Jibson was arrested Tuesday night, April 3, for the gruesome death of Veronica Polite of Bradenton.

Polite’s body was discovered set on fire in a wooded area near the 4600 block of 18th Street East at 1:15 a.m. Monday, April 2.

The Medical Examiner said she died from severe head trauma after being hit with an object that pierced her skull, according to the sheriff’s office. Her killer then used an accelerant to try to burn the body.

Her nephew told detectives he heard his aunt talking to a man around 11:45 p.m. on Sunday, April 1, outside the City Walk Apartments, 2019 Fifth St. W.

Two witnesses told detectives they called Jibson and asked him to give them a ride. He drove them to the City Walk Apartments where they went inside while Jibson remained in the parking lot. When they came out, they say they saw Jibson flirting with Polite. Polite then climbed into the front seat of Jibson’s car and they got into the back seat. Jibson dropped the witnesses off at a shopping center on U.S. 41 around midnight, they said. Polite remained in the front seat.

Detectives served a search warrant for Jibson’s car and found a large amount of blood on the back seat. When they returned to Jibson’s home to arrest him, he reportedly ran. Detectives eventually took him into custody.

Image via Manatee County Sheriff