GUILTY FL - Darren, 37, & Heather Kaiser, 26, shot to death, Plant City, 15 Jan 2005

kittykat1

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I don't know where to post this. If this is the wrong place, feel free to move it. I am having trouble recalling details of this but would like any help in identifying this couple. All I recall is an attractive couple being killed in their home (possibly in Florida) and within the last two years (2004 - 2006). The man was a little older than the woman. I think they sold cars online or had an auto finding business that helps buyers find the car they have been looking for. A theory might have been that they were killed because of a bad car deal?? This is vague, I know, but it is really bugging me. Anyone know?
 
Oh my gosh, you're not crazy...this sounds familiar to me too although I'm sorry but I can't help you with any details. If you find anything put it here so I'll know I'm not crazy either! In the meantime, I'll have a look around too.
 
Hey this is my first post. I thought maybe I could help. I'm not sure if this is the case you are talking about, but its worth a shot.

This was the case of Darren and Heather Kaiser back in January 2005.
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/01/16/Hillsborough/Two_found_dead_in_Pla.shtml

This was the updated article of it being possibly a business deal gone wrong.
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/01/20/Tampabay/Chief__Couple_was_sin.shtml

They even still have their business website up.
http://www.carsearch4u.net/index.html

Suspect in Custody, Benjamin Wibben's Alibis don't make sense to investigators
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/07/08/Hillsborough/Suspect_s_stories_var.shtml

Benjamin Wibben postpones trial
http://www.tampatrib.com/News/MGBXDWY1NFE.html

As far as I know, the trial hasn't happened yet. I hope this was what you were looking for. God I hope this guy gets the death penalty.
 
kittykat1 said:
I don't know where to post this. If this is the wrong place, feel free to move it. I am having trouble recalling details of this but would like any help in identifying this couple. All I recall is an attractive couple being killed in their home (possibly in Florida) and within the last two years (2004 - 2006). The man was a little older than the woman. I think they sold cars online or had an auto finding business that helps buyers find the car they have been looking for. A theory might have been that they were killed because of a bad car deal?? This is vague, I know, but it is really bugging me. Anyone know?
Hello Kittykat,:)
My mother resides in Florida and directed me to this site when I asked her if she remembered the case that you are searching for.
Here are a few links;
news link
Published January 17, 2005



PLANT CITY - Police have identified the man and woman found dead at a Plant City car brokerage office during the weekend as the husband and wife business owners.

Darren Kaiser, 37, and Heather Kaiser, 26, had been dead about 24 hours when their bodies were found Saturday afternoon, Plant City police said Sunday. The Kaisers' home at 1905 N Gordon St. doubled as their business office.

Police have not identified any suspects, a motive, or given the exact cause of death. Officers have only said the Kaisers suffered upper body trauma and investigators are treating the deaths as homicides.

The Kaisers had recently moved to Plant City from north Pinellas County. They called their car brokerage business Car Search 4 U.


Kaiser murder case cracked
Detectives believe they've solved the Jan. 15 murder of Plant City residents Heather and Darren Kaiser.

The couple sold used cars over the Internet. Early Tuesday morning in Fort Myers, Plant City detectives arrested one of the couple's customers, Benjamin Wibben.

"He bought a car from these individuals," said the suspect's father, Quinten Wibben. "That's the only thing I know at this point. I have no idea why he ... I mean he found the car on the Internet."


05117174424_murdered_couple.jpg

link to photo and this article;Police going through murdered couple's documents
 
A Promise Kept said:
Hey this is my first post. I thought maybe I could help. I'm not sure if this is the case you are talking about, but its worth a shot.

This was the case of Darren and Heather Kaiser back in January 2005.
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/01/16/Hillsborough/Two_found_dead_in_Pla.shtml

This was the updated article of it being possibly a business deal gone wrong.
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/01/20/Tampabay/Chief__Couple_was_sin.shtml

They even still have their business website up.
http://www.carsearch4u.net/index.html

Suspect in Custody, Benjamin Wibben's Alibis don't make sense to investigators
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/07/08/Hillsborough/Suspect_s_stories_var.shtml

Benjamin Wibben postpones trial
http://www.tampatrib.com/News/MGBXDWY1NFE.html

As far as I know, the trial hasn't happened yet. I hope this was what you were looking for. God I hope this guy gets the death penalty.
Hi A Promise Kept,
Your post was not here when I saw this thread.I saw the first two posts,left the thread,called my Mother,found links and clicked on the reply to quote by "kittykat1".
I submitted my post and then saw your post.This has to be the right one.
Respectfully,
dark_shadows
 
YES!! You guys are the greatest! It was really bugging me - you know how it gets sometimes. The interesting thing is that while I was trying to figure out who they were, I read about the young couple who was killed in Florida after moving from Minnesota and the child called 911. Fascinating read!

xxoo to all!

KittyKat

ETA: Thank you A Promise Kept!
 
Interesting. I hadn't heard of this case. The suspect was arrested in 2005. I wonder if he was tried for their murders. Is there any more recent info on this case??
 
nanandjim said:
Interesting. I hadn't heard of this case. The suspect was arrested in 2005. I wonder if he was tried for their murders. Is there any more recent info on this case??
Hi Nanandjim,:)
Nice to see ya.
The trial is set for october.


Here is a link;

{Link published: Jul 28, 2006}
link;victims' items sold at auction

Proceeds from the auction will go to help Josh Kaiser, the 15-year-old son of Darren Kaiser from a previous marriage.

Respectfully,
dark_shadows
 
We are still waiting for the defense to submit their notice of hearing so that the next hearing can be officially set. We anticipate that it will be on March 30th in the morning docket(8:30 a.m.).
 
From April 2009:

http://www.tbo.com/plant-city/man-gets-life-in-slayings-of-internet-car-dealers-97528

Benjamin James Wibben was sentenced to life without parole by Circuit Judge William Fuente after he pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and robbery in the 2005 deaths of Heather and Darren Kaiser. Wibben, posing as a customer, stole an aging sports car and two laptop computers...

Wibben admitted to officers he went to the Kaisers' home-based business, Car Search 4 U, to rob them but he claimed another man he was with killed them. Plant City police discounted that anyone else was involved. Wibben admitted in court he acted alone...

Wibben was arrested a little more than a month later after he tried to register a 1994 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4 twin turbo that the Kaisers had been selling for about $12,000. Wibben contacted the Kaisers by computer weeks before the shootings and arranged to pick up the car.
 

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