In June 2015, the Gulf County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division (CID) began investigating seven separate residential burglaries. 

Four of the burglaries occurred in the St. Joe Beach, Florida, area and three on Cape San Blas, Florida. Numerous televisions and household items were stolen. Investigators immediately noticed similarities in how each burglary was committed and suspected all were committed by the same suspect. Forensic evidence was collected from the scenes believed to have been left behind by the suspect.

The evidence was sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Crime Lab for Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) analysis.

On June 18, 2015, Investigators responded to the St. Joe Beach area and were in the process of investigating one of the seven residential burglaries. During that investigation it was apparent the suspect injured themselves during the break in and had stolen a television. That afternoon Investigators attempted to apprehend a wanted fugitive from Georgia for unrelated charges. The fugitive, Kenneth David Regan, 40, from Bainbridge, Georgia, attempted to flee on foot during a traffic stop, but was quickly apprehended. At the time of his arrest he had a severe laceration to his left forearm.

Through further investigation into Regan’s background, Investigators learned he sold two televisions to a local pawn shop on this date. Investigators also developed physical evidence that connected Regan to one of the burglaries on St. Joe Beach by searching a location he stayed at in Mexico Beach.

The GCSO recently received FDLE laboratory reports which identified Regan through a DNA match to the forensic evidence collected from the scenes. Regan is currently incarcerated in the state of Georgia on the unrelated charges and will be extradited back to Gulf County once the charges are resolved. Warrants have been obtained for Regan on four separate counts of Burglary of a Dwelling. Investigators continue to wait on laboratory results on additional forensic evidence in this investigation and do anticipate additional burglary charges.