The Murder of Henry Caneva
For this case, I watched an episode of City Confidential. It’s season 8 episode 7, titled ‘Murder on Mirror Lake.’
An older man and his girlfriend are attacked in their shared home.
Background
Henry Caneva was born in Italy and grew up during the Great Depression. When Henry was 12, his family moved to Wyoming. He learned to speak English very quickly.
When he was 18, he joined the Navy. During this time, he also met his ex-wife. In 1957, they settled in Fresno, California, and had children together.
After he left the Navy, he became a car salesman due to his love of talking to people. But sadly, Henry and his wife divorced in 1972. He picked up his life and moved to Sarasota, Florida. He became a top car salesman at a local dealership.
While he was working, Henry met Janet Scott and sold her a car. Janet was 47 at the time and a recent widow. The two began dating and Henry moved into Janet’s Mirror Lake home on St. Louis Avenue.
Henry Caneva
Henry and Janet Scott
The Attack
On June 20, 1997, Janet ran to her neighbor’s house around 3:43 am. She had been brutally attacked, beaten, and could barely speak.
On the 911 call, the neighbor could be heard asking Janet if Henry was also in the house. Janet was able to say yes. Janet was transported to the hospital.
The Sarasota police arrived. They found Henry dead in the master bedroom on the bed. Henry was 76 years old. He had been strangled with a belt.
There was blood splatter on the blinds and headboard. A bloody pillow was found on the ground with a shoeprint on it.
On Janet’s side of the bed, there was a blood pool on the ground. It’s believed that she fell off the bed and was lying facedown. The killer believed Janet and Henry were both dead and left.
The phone lines had been cut and a piece of latex glove was left behind.
A robbery was originally ruled out as money and credit cards were found still in the home.
A Possible Motive
The back door of the house which faced the lake had been left unlocked.
The police walked the perimeter of the house and found a cigarette in the grass. The police determined that the cigarette had been discarded at the time of the murder because it was dry and the grass was wet from the dew.
Later that morning, The news of the murder of Henry and the attack on Janet spread quickly around the neighborhood.
The neighbors spoke very highly of Henry and Janet and said Henry was such a kind person. No one had seen or heard anything suspicious.
The police went to Sarasota Memorial Hospital hoping to speak to Janet. They learned that Janet’s windpipe had been crushed during the assault. An armed deputy was placed at Janet’s door for protection.
The police spoke to Henry’s children when they arrived in Sarasota to make the funeral arrangements.
The police’s theory was that his children wanted their dad’s inheritance. Henry’s son and daughter both told the police that they knew that their father had money, but didn’t know the exact amount.
Henry’s children didn’t know much about his life since he moved and said he kept to himself.
They both passed polygraph tests and were eliminated and the inheritance theory was ruled out.
The Rival
Next, the police interviewed Henry’s co-workers. They learned that Henry had been competing against a much younger salesman named Frank. They seemed to be fighting for that number 1 spot.
The police learned that a few weeks before the murder, Frank and Henry had a confrontation during a work event. Henry learned that Frank had been the top salesman at the time, and an argument broke out.
Frank was interviewed by the police on June 26, 1997. Frank told the police that he and Henry were friends and often joked around with each other. Frank did admit that the work event argument made him angry.
Frank passed a polygraph test and agreed to give the police a DNA sample. Frank’s DNA was not a match to the cigarette found at the crime scene.
Janet’s Story
About a week after the murder of Henry and the attack on Janet, the police visited her at the hospital. A tracheostomy was performed, so Janet was still unable to speak, but she was able to write.
Janet was interviewed in this episode. She said she woke up around 3 am on June 20, 1997. She said someone was leaning on her thighs while another person was holding her down. She said remembered swatting at the person and telling them to get off. Janet said that one of the attackers yelled, “Die bitch.”
Janet passed out. When she came to, she heard a noise and realized it was her trying to breathe. She said after the attackers left, she was able to stand up and walk to the phone, but it didn’t work. She walked over to the neighbor’s home.
Janet said she was devastated and didn’t know who would want to hurt her and Henry.
The police showed Janet photos of her bedroom from after the attack. Janet told them that she always placed her rings and watch on top of the armor and that her rings were missing. One ring was a blue topaz that Henry had bought her. The other was from her deceased husband.
One detail that was not mentioned in this episode, Janet said that her dog, Kissy had been hit and nearly killed by the attackers.
A Family Grudge
The police searched several local pawn shops for Janet’s rings, but it was a dead end.
On January 5, 1998, the police responded to a domestic dispute at the home of John Whiteley and Lela Hodges.
When the police separated the couple, John threatened Lela that he would turn her in for stealing the rings from the St. Louis Avenue attack if she made a police report. Janet and Henry lived on St. Louis Avenue and the stolen rings were never mentioned to the public.
The police looked into John and Lela’s backgrounds. They learned that this was not the first domestic situation and that John had strangled Lela in the past.
They also learned that Lela’s maiden name was Scott. She was the daughter of Janet’s deceased husband and had once lived in the Mirror Lake home.
Janet said Lela was around 30 years old when she met her. Janet said Lela had always been a troublemaker and had an on and off again relationship with her dad.
Janet believed she and Lela had a friendly relationship, but knew that Lela was upset that her dad found someone else. They stayed in touch for a while after Lela’s father died. However, they lost touch after Lela got a divorce.
He Said-She Said
The police surveilled John and Lela’s home. After several days of there being no movement, the police followed them to a local restaurant. They collected a cigarette that John had left behind and sent it to the crime lab. It was a match to the cigarette from the crime scene.
On November 24, 1998, John Whiteley was arrested. He and Lela were both questioned by the police. Lela immediately asked for an attorney.
John was told by the police that Lela was telling them everything. John believed them and said he wanted to make a deal with the district attorney. He blamed everything on Lela but said he was there on the night of the murder.
John said the motive was that Lela wanted the house for herself and that Henry shouldn’t have been living there. Lela told John that her father had written in his will that Janet couldn’t have another man living with her or the house would be turned over to Lela.
After John’s confession, the police told Lela that John had turned on her. Lela also asked for a deal. Lela said it had been all John’s idea and that John had strangled Henry.
Lela also mentioned that John had been wearing latex gloves and cut the phone wires with a plier.
They were both arrested and charged with murder and attempted murder. Janet was notified about the arrests.
The Convictions
Besides the cigarette, the police didn’t have much evidence against John and Lela. There was no DNA found on Henry or the belt.
The prosecutor told Henry and Janet’s loved ones that Lela and John could walk free if the trial continued.
In the spring of 2000, John and Lela were both sentenced to 20 years for aggravated assault on Janet and murder of Henry.
They were both released in 2015. Their sentences had been reduced by 5 years for good behavior.
John Whiteley
Lela Hodges
FINAL THOUGHTS
Janet’s survival and recovery is amazing. She seems like such an amazing and sweet person. Henry also seemed so kind and loving. It’s clear that Lela was a troubled woman and meeting John made things worse. Although what they did was horrific and horrible, I hope John and Lela have been able to become better people. I also hope they will never hurt anyone else again.
Sources
https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1998/11/25/dna-link-leads-to-murder-arrests/
https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1998/11/26/accused-couple-s-marriage-is-strife-torn/
