Robert Charles Cope

Investigators have made an arrest in a violent homicide that occured in North Fort Myers Thursday.
Dpeuties were called to 4210 Hatton Rogers Lane, #16, at 1:49 p.m. in reference to an unresponsive male. They found the body of Charles Buddy Rogers, 70, and “a very violent crime scene” with obvious signs of foul play, officials said.
The District 21 Medical Examiner will perform an autopsy to determine an official cause of death.
Due to the nature of the incident, detectives with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit assumed the investigation.
Those investigators met with an individual who had acted as a caretaker for Rogers. The caretaker was able to identify a person of interest who was an acquaintance of Rogers. Robert Charles Cope, 55, was located and quickly was established as a primary suspect in the murder, officials said.
From evidence obtained on scene and on Cope’s person that linked him to the crime, he was arrested and charged with second degree murder.
Cope was taken to the Lee County Jail where he was booked into cutody at 8:34 this morning.

Source: Lee County Sheriff’s Office