No food, no water, no sleep

Saturday, May 28, 2005

Click here for an enlarged image.

A Bay area murder suspect is continuing his standoff hundreds of feet above the ground.

Carl Roland, 41, remains at the top of a 350-foot crane and is in a standoff with Atlanta police in the busy Buckhead area. He's believed to be armed with a knife.

The Clearwater resident is wanted in connection with the death of his ex-girlfriend, Jennifer Gonzalez.

Roland has refused the food and water offered by negotiators since climbing the crane at about 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Neighbors stunned, saddened by situation

Elba Rodriquez lives in the apartment directly across from Gonzalez's apartment.

"I've been watching the news," Rodriquez said. "I can't go to sleep because I've been watching the news all the time because I want to see when this is over."

Roland remains atop the 18-story crane.

Rodriquez wants the standoff to end soon.

"He's laying down," said Rodriquez. "He's tired. I wish they'd let him go to sleep so they could go up there and grab him."

Rodriquez knew the woman Roland is accused of killing.

"She was a beautiful person," she said. "She loved her two kids; she never left them alone."

Rodriquez hopes Roland will face justice.

"I don't want him to die like that," she said. "I want him to go to jail, and then they should put the death penalty on him."

Candles remain lit on Gonzalez's doorstep. Her family members said they were too upset to comment on what's happening with Roland.

Roland's Mental State
	Click here to get Health Team 9's Dr. Steve O'Brien's thoughts on Roland's emotional condition.

Roland's standoff with police stunned his Pinellas County neighbors.

"I just can't believe it," said neighbor Robert Robbins. "But what are his options? Obviously, he's distraught and doesn't know what he's doing or what he did."

Robbins describes Roland as a cool, relaxed guy, but says just days ago Roland mentioned to a friend he might hurt his ex-girlfriend.

"He told Bill, 'I'm going to kill that girl,'" said Robbins. "But you know, you never actually think anybody's actually going to do it."

Ex-girlfriend was killed Tuesday

The body of the 36-year-old Gonzalez was found floating in a pond behind her Oldsmar apartment Tuesday. The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office says she died of blunt trauma and they believe Roland did it.

"The suspect was the last person seen with our victim," said Mac McMullen of the sheriff's office.

Gonzalez's body was found in this pond.

Roland has a Florida real estate license, but recently filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. In 2004, he was arrested for DUI in Hillsborough County, and was arrested for civil battery in Ybor City in 2001.

Gonzalez's neighbors left candles and stuffed animals at the door of her apartment and at the pond where her body was found.

Gonzalez's two children are now staying with family members. Those close to the family have no sympathy for Roland.

Police say Carl Roland murdered his ex-girlfriend Tuesday.

"Honestly, I wish he would have to go through the same thing she went through," said Casey Carcanague. "But I know that's not possible and I just hope he spends his whole life in jail, so he has his whole life to think about what he did."

Pinellas County detectives flew to Atlanta Thursday afternoon to conduct interviews and start the extradition process.

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