Community Corner

Clearwater Police Close Cold Case

Clearwater Police charged Tisen Washington in the 2008 murder of Jack Lagrand.

The murder of a taxi cab driver found shot five years ago is solved.

Clearwater Police homicide detectives have charged Tisen Washington with the murder of Jack Lagrand, a Yellow Cab driver who was found shot to death in his cab behind a strip mall near Enterprise Road and U.S. 19 Sept 17, 2008.

Washington already is in Pasco County Jail on drug charges, said Maj. Donald Hall, criminal investigation commander.

Detectives actively worked on the case for five years. They recently released enhanced surveillance video in an attempt to find the suspect. Before that, billboards featuring Lagrand's face were plastered near the crime scene along Enterprise Road and Republic Drive.

But it was a witness coming forward about two months ago that gave detectives the break they needed, Hall said.

The enhanced video of Washington shows him leaving Fat Daddy's Watering Hole, on State Road 580 in Dunedin, a little after 1:30 a.m. His image was also caught on a surveillance camera at 7:30 a.m. near where Lagrand's body was found.

Washington was surprised to see himself in the footage and confirmed to investigators that it was him pictured in the video, detective Thomas Dawe said. 

"We always thought the motive was robbery," Dawe said. "We stand by that now."

Donna Lagrand, dressed all in black, stood silent as detectives talked about the case Friday. 

It's important to close cold cases, Dawe said.

"Never give up hope," he said.


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