Case Update: Suspect Arrested In February 2020 Homicide At Daytona-Area Motel

Date Added: May 06, 2021 1:27 pm

Andrew Gant
Office of Public Affairs & Media Relations

CASE UPDATE: SUSPECT ARRESTED IN FEBRUARY 2020 HOMICIDE AT DAYTONA-AREA MOTEL

A suspect has been arrested on a charge of second-degree murder in the February 2020 killing of his roommate at a Daytona Beach-area motel.

Wayne B. Hibbs III, 53 (DOB 12/23/1967), was booked at the Volusia County Branch Jail on Wednesday after he was transported over from the Gulf Correctional Institution, where he has been in custody on other charges since shortly after the homicide.

The victim, Marc Pinder, was found dead Feb. 28, 2020, in the room he shared with Hibbs at the Speedway Motel at 3753 W. International Speedway Blvd., formerly known as the Bird's Nest. The motel provides housing for registered sex offenders.

An autopsy determined Pinder died of blunt force trauma to the head.

Hibbs cut off his GPS monitoring device and absconded after his initial interview with detectives, but he was found days later and taken into custody for violation of probation.

Data from the Hibbs' and Pinder's GPS monitors showed that both men were in their room together at the approximate time the homicide occurred, and no other GPS monitors were active there. No fingerprints other than theirs were in the room.

Hibbs left the motel in Pinder's vehicle early on the morning of Feb. 28, just before Pinder's body was discovered.

Interviews with other associates revealed that Hibbs had discussed his belief that Pinder would be receiving a large financial settlement in the future, and that Hibbs would get the money if anything happened to Pinder. It was also reported that Hibbs told others he believed Pinder was poisoning him, although there was no evidence found to support that.

Hibbs is being held at the Branch Jail with no bond.