Photo: Jacksonville Sheriff's Office
A Florida man is facing multiple charges after being accused of brutally torturing a woman to death. Authorities said the suspect, Henry Joseph Lannon II, 37, told a friend that he killed 30-year-old Chelsea Nicole Thompson last month.
Lannon's friend, who was not identified, did not initially believe he was capable of killing the woman, but after a few days, he called the police. He spoke with WJXT and said that Lannon asked him to burn some items in his backyard.
"I said, 'What's up? What's going on with you?' He said he messed up and he needed to burn some stuff,'" the friend told the news station.
He didn't think much of the request at the time and agreed to let Lannon use his backyard. When Lannon first showed up, he didn't mention anything about hurting Thompson but later confided in his friend that he may have killed her.
"He said, 'Man, I think I might have killed a girl.' I said, 'Henry, you're not a killer. You didn't kill anyone.' Then he went into details about it," the friend recalled.
Lannon then explained how he tied up Thompson and waterboarded her. He said he "tortured" her as she "begged for her life."
A few days later, the friend began to realize that Lannon may have killed Thompson and called the police.
"I said he may be wanted in connection to a homicide. I'm not certain, but said he says he may have killed someone," he said.
Investigators have not determined a motive for the brutal killing. Authorities are waiting for the autopsy results to determine the exact cause of Thompson's death. They noted she suffered a fractured vertebra, had indications of brain swelling, and other injuries consistent with being tied up.
Lannon was charged with kidnapping and aggravated battery and remains in custody without bond.