MARION COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – The Marion County Sheriff’s Office says a man who stabbed a 6-year-old to death in Kentucky was found living next to an elementary school in Florida after being released on “good behavior.”
Lt. Paul Bloom, a sheriff’s office spokesman, said deputies were immediately alerted when they learned that Ronald Exantas, 42, had moved to the area and failed to register as a convicted felon within the legally required 48 hours.
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“What’s even more shocking and disturbing about this case is that he had a residence right next to the elementary school,” Bloom said of Sunrise Elementary School. Speaking of right next door, there is a fence between his house and the elementary school.
Exantus is accused of stabbing 6-year-old Logan Tipton to death in 2015 after breaking into his parents’ home in Versailles, Kentucky. A jury found Exantus guilty of assault, but acquitted him of murder by reason of insanity. Bloom said Exantus served less than half of his 20-year sentence before being released on probation.
“I don’t want to talk about the details of that murder. It makes me sick. But how can someone be forgiven for doing such a violent, despicable, evil thing?” Bloom said. “We’re having a hard time understanding that as voters, as citizens, as human beings.”
Messages began pouring in to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office from concerned parents who learned that Exantus was now living locally, and Bloom said deputies also received messages from Kentuckians, including Tipton’s family.
“I can’t imagine the fear and sadness this man’s family went through when they learned that this man would be released early,” Bloom said. “It must have caused nightmares for them all over again.”
The concerns elevated the incident to a national level, with White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt writing to X that the White House would look into the matter. Florida Attorney General James Usmeyer also confirmed that he is working with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office to arrest Exantus and return him to Kentucky.
Bloom said the sheriff’s office immediately began monitoring Exantus’ home and placed officers in the area as a security measure.
“I can’t say he was planning anything, but we weren’t going to give him a chance to plan anything,” Bloom said.
Exantus was standing in his garage on Oct. 9 when officers arrested him for failing to register as a convicted felon. Bloom said Exantus “doesn’t seem to understand why” he’s being arrested, but the Department of Corrections told him he had 48 hours to register with the sheriff’s office.
“I don’t know why he chose Florida,” Bloom said. “To come to Florida after doing something like that… there’s no way you can ignore the law and not register here.”
The sheriff’s office said Exantus is believed to have family in Marion County, which likely explains his move to the area.
Exantus was booked into the Marion County Jail and is being held without bail. His failure to register is also a violation of probation, and Bloom said Exantus could soon be extradited to Kentucky. The lieutenant was unable to provide an exact schedule.
“Our hope is that this person goes back to prison, stays behind bars, and that common sense ultimately trumps,” Bloom said. “The will of the people will be removed and he will never see the light of day in Kentucky, let alone in this state.”
