Amanda Lynn Brown, 33, heard about last July’s triple homicide in Frostproof and, within weeks, set up a fraudulent GoFundMe account, which stated the money raised would help the families of the three victims: Kevin Springfield, Brandon Rollins and Damion Tillman.
Instead, a sheriff’s department investigation, showed Brown went on shopping sprees, sent herself money via PayPal and paid off her Frostproof utility bill of nearly $1,400.
Brown was sentenced late last month to three years in prison and ordered to pay back $11,500 to GoFundMe, which had already refunded money to those who had contributed. Court officials said she made no statement at her sentencing and did not offer an apology to the families.
“I just hope she thinks about what she done and what she done to our family,” said Dottie Payton, Rollins’ mother.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd was also pleased with the sentence.
“This is the worst kind of human conduct to try and profit from the horrible tragedy of a triple murder while taking advantage of wonderful people donating their hard-earned money to help those in distress,” said Judd. “I hope she is miserable and thinks of her terrible conduct every day she is in prison.”
Tony “T.J.” Wiggins, meanwhile, is charged in the triple-homicide and faces the death penalty if convicted.
Wiggins, of Frostproof, was arrested three days after the July 17 murders when a store receipt in Tillman’s truck led detectives to a surveillance video at a nearby Dollar General, reports stated. Tillman and Wiggins could be seen talking in the video, and a store clerk told detectives Tillman had mentioned he was meeting Springfield to go fishing.
Wiggins’ younger brother, William Robert Wiggins, and his brother’s girlfriend, Mary Clare Whittemore, are both charged with three counts of accessory after the fact to a capital felony, each of which carries up to 30 years in prison if convicted. They both have a status hearing in court on Tuesday and remain in the Polk County Jail without bond.