Man with 49 convictions arrested for multiple burglaries

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Lorenzo Leon Murray, 49, was arrested last night after allegedly trying to break into a car in a carport and rummaging through another car a few blocks away.

At about 10:16 p.m. on February 26, a resident of the neighborhood near the 1200 block of NW 13th Street reported that a man had entered her yard and tried to open her car door; the car was parked in a carport that is attached to a house and is within the curtilage of the residence. The victim, who was home at the time, told the responding Gainesville Police Department officer that the man left when he realized that the car was locked, and the incident was captured on her surveillance cameras.

A short time later, the same man allegedly entered a vehicle about two blocks away and rummaged through items in the vehicle; a resident of the home saw the man inside the vehicle and reported that the man ran away when he realized he had been seen.

Officers found Murray about nine blocks away from the first victim’s home, and his clothing reportedly matched the clothing of the man captured on surveillance video except that he was missing a jacket; officers believe that he discarded the jacket.

Murray gave consent for a search of his backpack, which reportedly contained baby diapers, baby wipes, and a set of keys; Murray reportedly could not explain why he had those items, and he did not know what the keys belonged to. The arresting officer reported that Murray probably stole the items from vehicles in the neighborhood during unreported burglaries.

Post Miranda, Murray reportedly denied entering or attempting to enter any vehicles but was unable to explain why he was in that neighborhood.

Murray has been charged with attempted burglary of an occupied dwelling and attempted burglary of a vehicle; the second victim did not want to press charges. He has 19 felony convictions (two violent) and 30 misdemeanor convictions (two violent) and has served seven state prison sentences, with his most recent release in 2021 after serving a five-year sentence for burglary. Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $40,000.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.