Detectives head to Lenoir to investigate Florida man’s 1988 unsolved killing
Detectives from Florida have traveled to Lenoir as they continue investigating the death of a man back in 1988.
Investigators said on Nov. 27, 1988, Robert Hecht, a 58-year-old man who lived in Charlotte County, Florida failed to respond to his weekly phone call from his sister, who lived out of state. Authorities eventually found Hecht’s body inside his Punta Gorda home. It was obvious he had been beaten to death, they said.
Hecht is also a retired U.S. Army officer and is originally from New York.
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Investigators said Hecht was seen the day before at a bar in the same city with a man who identified himself as “Ray.” Ray told anyone he encountered that he was from Tennessee and Kentucky, and spoke with a southern accent, investigators said.
Then, on the morning of Nov. 28, detectives learned Hecht’s car, a 1989 Lincoln Town Car, was found parked in Lenoir near Lowell’s Food Market on East Harper Avenue. Witnesses told detectives that a man matching Ray’s description was seen getting out of the car and going inside the store. A woman with long blonde hair was also seen in the passenger seat of the car.
On Dec. 1, Lenoir police found the car parked on Main Street in Lenoir, where it appeared to have been parked for several days.
Channel 9 cameras captured video that year of Hecht’s car being processed at police headquarters in Lenoir. At the time, investigators only had a sketch of the person of interest named Ray.
Channel 9′s Dave Faherty spoke with the officer who found the car. He said they ran the tag for two nights and didn’t get any hits.
Investigators worked extensively on the case through the years, and it was eventually assigned to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit in 2009.
“We’re trying to figure out how our victims brand new 1989 Lincoln Town Car ended up on Main Street in Lenoir, North Carolina shortly after his murder, and that’s an answer we don’t have yet,” said Det. Kurt Mehl with the Charlotte County Cold Case Unit.
Thirteen years later, in 2022, detectives from that cold case unit were able to determine Ray’s identity: Kenneth Ray Miller, who died at age 55 in 2007.
Deputies said they were able to find a connection between Miller, Hecht’s home, and his stolen car. They also said Miller is believed to have been born in Kentucky and lived in Kingsport, Tennessee, with his mother and other family members.
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Now, detectives are trying to figure out why Hecht’s car was driven to Lenoir and left on Main Street. Authorities said they are trying to find the woman who was with Miller in the stolen car. She may also have ties to the Kingsport area.
“Potentially, we want to talk with the witness who saw the individual getting out of the Lincoln Town Car and saw the blond female remaining in the car,” said Det. Mike Vogel with the Charlotte County Cold Case Unit.
Investigators believe she can help with the investigation, but they have no reason to believe she is involved in Hecht’s killing.
Detectives are also looking for any information about Miller and what connection he may have to Lenoir and Kingsport. Residents in the area hope the family can finally have answers to what happened to their loved one.
“I think it’s a good thing,” James Propst said. “Help bring closure to the family and bring justice.”
Anyone with any information about the case is asked to call Det. Mehl with the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office at 941-763-0582. You can also call Det. Mike Vogel at 941-763-9394, or the Lenoir Police Department.
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