MARION COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — A man who stabbed a 6-year-old to death in Kentucky was found living next to a Florida elementary school after being released for “good behavior,” the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said.
Lt. Paul Bloom, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, said deputies were immediately on alert when they found out Ronald Exantus, 42, had moved to the area and failed to register as a convicted felon within the 48 hours required by law.
“The more shocking and disturbing point of this was that he had set up residence immediately next to an elementary school,” Bloom said, referring to Sunrise Elementary School. “When I say immediately next to it, there is a fence between his house and the elementary school.”
Exantus was charged in 2015 for stabbing 6-year-old Logan Tipton to death after breaking into his family’s home in Versailles, Kentucky. A jury convicted Exantus on assault charges but found him not guilty of murder by way of insanity. According to Bloom, Exantus served less than half of his 20-year sentence before being released on probation.
“I don’t want to talk about the details of that murder, it’s sickening. But when somebody does something that violent, that vile, that evil, why would they be allowed back?” Bloom said. “We have a hard time as voters, as citizens, as human beings, understanding that.”
Messages began pouring into the Marion County Sheriff’s Office from concerned parents who learned Exantus was now residing locally, and Bloom said deputies even received messages from people in Kentucky, including Tipton’s family.
“I can’t imagine the horror and the sadness that ripped through that family when they realized this man was being released early,” Bloom said. “It just reignited a nightmare for them, I’m sure.”
The concern elevated the case to a national level, with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt writing on X that the White House would be looking into the matter. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier also confirmed his office was working with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office to arrest Exantus and send him back to Kentucky.
Bloom said the sheriff’s office immediately began surveilling Exantus’ home and put deputies in the area as a safety precaution.
“We can’t say he was planning to do something, but we weren’t going to allow him the opportunity to plan something,” Bloom said.
Exantus was standing in his garage on Oct. 9 when deputies arrested him for failing to register as a convicted felon. Bloom said Exantus “didn’t seem to understand why” he was being arrested, though the Department of Corrections had notified Exantus he had 48 hours to register with the sheriff’s office.
“I don’t know why he chose Florida,” Bloom said. “To come to Florida after doing something like that… you’re not going to flaunt the law and fail to register here.”
According to the sheriff’s office, Exantus is believed to have family in Marion County, possibly explaining his move to the area.
Exantus was booked into the Marion County Jail and is being held without bond. His failure to register is also a violation of his probation, and Bloom said Exantus could be extradited to Kentucky soon. The lieutenant could not provide an exact timeline.
“Our hope is this person is back behind bars, stays behind bars and, in the end, common sense rules out,” Bloom said. “The will of the people rules out, and he does not get to see the light of day, not in this state and even in Kentucky.”
Want more insights? Join Working Title - our career elevating newsletter and get the future of work delivered weekly.
