Twenty-one year-old Kenneth Lawrence Foresyth Jr, (DOB 10-21-02, Homeless) was taken into custody on Aug. 13, 2024 following a dedicated and diligent search by detectives regarding a stabbing in Winter Haven in July.
The stabbing occurred right outside of a shipping container, located on a construction property, after Snell approached Foresyth and a physical altercation ensued. Paperwork and items belonging to Forsyth were located inside of the shipping container.
It should be noted that this is an unedited report of facts by Winter Haven Police Department. These facts are up for question and everyone is entitled to question the validity of facts by law enforcement in a court of law. Winter Haven Daily does not rewrite these facts as some meanings or interpretations could be in error and change context. We hope readers appreciate being able to read the information and come to your own conclusion.
“On Friday July 26, 2024 at 2246 hours, Winter Haven Police Department Officers responded to a call for service where a male subject was banging on residential doors of Winter Haven Harbour Condos located at REDACTED. At approximately 2252 hours, a second call for service was dispatched at Inman Park located at REDACTED regarding the same male subject. REDACTED advised his REDACTED was stabbed by an unknown dark-skin black male, later identified as the defendant, Kenneth Lawrence Foresyth Jr. (B/M; DOB: 10212002) at a nearby abandoned construction site, located at REDACTED. Upon contact with law enforcement, the reportee was identified as REDACTED and his REDACTED was identified as Angel May Snell (Decedent).
Post incident, Snell was taken to Winter Haven Hospital located at 200 Avenue F Northeast, Winter Haven, Polk County, Florida 33881, where she suffered multiple stab wounds. Snell succumbed to injuries and was pronounced deceased by Medical Staff on July 27, 2024 at 0004 hours.
Winter Haven Police Department Detectives responded to the scene and made contact with the witness, REDACTED, who provided a sworn statement advising he was drinking with Snell at the construction site, when an unknown black male subject walked out of the front door of a yellow construction site’s shipping container. REDACTED stated that Snell appeared to have known the black male subject and approached him. REDACTED stated that a verbal argument began between Snell and the black male subject.
REDACTED watched from across the field, which was approximately 153-hundred feet from the yellow shipping container. REDACTED stated that he then observed a physical altercation occur where both Snell and the black male subject were swinging at each other and yelling. REDACTED stated that he then observed the black male subject swinging his arm (in an overhead motion) striking Snell multiple times. REDACTED stated that he then heard Snell scream for help yelling: “He stabbed me! Help!”
REDACTED stated he ran over to Snell, who could barely walk and was bleeding. REDACTED stated that he assisted Snell by taking her across the field, and when doing so the unknown black male subject threatened him and Snell. REDACTED advised that his cellphone was dead and was unable to call 9-1-1 emergency services, which is why he brought Snell to REDACTED to bang on doors and windows asking for help.
When there was no response, REDACTED ran to Inman Park, which is located at REDACTED. REDACTED stated that he made contact with several homeless subjects and asked them to call 9-1-1 due to Snell being stabbed. One of the homeless subjects allowed REDACTED to use his cellphone, and he contacted the Polk County Sheriffs Office Dispatch requesting for help. REDACTED ran back to Snell where law enforcement officers and emergency services were administering first aid.
REDACTED described this unknown dark-skin black male as tall, skinny, wearing light-colored shorts and a dark shirt with short hair.
A search warrant for the yellow shipping container was sought and granted by the Honorable Judge David Horton on July 27, 2024 at 0944 hours. During the execution of the search warrant, multiple items of evidence were collected to include: photographs, black and mild cigarillo wrappers, black and mild smoking tips, arraignment paperwork for Kenneth Foresyth (BM DOB: 10/21/2002) and a CashApp Debit Card for Kenneth Foresyth.
On July 29, 2024, an autopsy was performed at the District 10 Medical Examiner’s Office on the decedent, Angel May Snell. The autopsy confirmed the following stab wounds: one to left arm, one to chest piercing the right side of heart, one to upper left armpit piercing and collapsing lung, and one to lower abdomen just above pubic bone, piercing liver. The preliminary cause of death was ruled to be a stab wound to the right side of the heart. The weapon is believed to be a single-edge blade, approximately four (4) to six (6) inches in length.
On July 28, 2024, detectives responded to Longhorn Steakhouse located at 875 1st. South, Winter Haven, Florida and spoke to Foresyth, who provided a non-custodial sworn statement. Foresyth advised he was at the construction site on July 25, 2024, admitting he had slept inside the yellow shipping container on/off for the past few months.
Foresyth confirmed ownership of the arraignment paperwork and CashApp Debit Card. Foresyth was shown a single photograph of Snell and he denied ever making contact with Snell and stated he did not know who Snell was. Foresyth’s manager at Longhorn Steakhouse provided a work schedule and mistakenly advised that Foresyth worked the night of the homicide.
While retrieving video footage throughout the city of Winter Haven, video footage captured a dark-skin black male wearing light-colored shorts and a dark shirt with white slides walking northbound on the Chain of Lakes Trail near Saint Joseph’s School at approximately 2231 hours. The same subject is observed walking northbound passing the Mosque at approximately 2245 hours on July 26, 2024. At approximately 2247 hours, the same subject is observed on video footage running southbound passing the Mosque.
Due to discrepancies of Foresyth’s work schedule, on August 13, 2024, Foresyth agreed to a clarification noncustodial interview at the Winter Haven Police Department.
Still-photographs from the Mosque, Saint Joseph’s School, Downtown Winter Haven, and Martin Luther King Park were presented to Foresyth, which he confirmed he was the subject in all said photographs. Foresyth confirmed he was released early from work and walked throughout the city on July 26, 2024. When questioned about running away from the scene, Foresyth advised he got a pebble inside his white slide shoe causing him to run southbound on the Chain of Lakes Trail.
Foresyth initially denied walking through the construction site on the night of the homicide but, changed his story stating he walked through the construction site. When confronted about discrepancies, Foresyth admitted the night of the homicide, he was inside the storage unit and walked out to tend to his small fire. Foresyth advised while tending to the fire, Snell approached him about the fire yelling at him.
Foresyth advised Snell threw some of the ashes from the fire onto him. Foresyth advised Snell struck him with closed fists and he responded with multiple closed-fist strikes. Foresyth advised he retrieved a pocketknife from his right front shorts pocket and stabbed Snell with the knife.
Foresyth advised he left Snell at the scene never realizing REDACTED was standing in the field observing the incident.
Foresyth advised he quickly came back to the incident location to collect his cellphone, wallet, and other personal items and left the scene. Foresyth advised he walked to Lake Mariam boat ramp located at 2000 Dundee Road, Winter Haven, Florida and he disposed of the pocketknife (black handle) by throwing it into the lake (alongside the wooded line).
Foresyth advised he continued to walk around the city until he reached the downtown area of Winter Haven where he discarded clothes in a garbage bag in the parking garage. Foresyth walked to Martin Luther King Park where he discarded his shoes in a nearby trash can in the park. Foresyth advised he remained at the park and slept there until the following morning.
On the night of July 26, 2024, Foresyth admitted to never calling (9-1-1 dispatch) for emergency medical services to seck any help after stabbing Snell nor did he see Snell ever produce a weapon during the physical altercation.
As a result of Foresyth’s actions and the unlawful killing of a human being, he is being charged with one (1) count of Second Degree Murder with a Weapon, F.S.S. 782.04, one (1) count of False Report to LEO Regarding Capital Felony, F.S.S. 837.05(2), and one (1) count of Destroy/Tamper with/Fabricate Physical Evidence, F.S.S. 918.13.”
