Lost Illinois man murdered when he asks for directions in Coconut Grove

Sun Sentinel ^ | July 31 2006 | Marlene Naanes

[Fawn]

Authorities were searching Monday for a man who witnesses said shot and killed an Illinois tourist who was asking for directions.

After dropping his son off at a shopping mall, Ronald Gentile, 54, pulled over in the Coconut Grove area Saturday afternoon, police said. Witnesses reported seeing Gentile roll down the window on his rented white Chevrolet Cobalt. A man dressed in black then apparently approached the vehicle, robbed and shot Gentile.

[Riverman94610]

Well,some of those killed were just young and stupid and in the wrong place at the wrong time.Not making excuses for them but does being stupid deserve death?
Yet I will agree,for those mobbing and terrorizing their fellow citizens,they got what their karma brought them,if I can be New Agey about the situation.

[kx9088]

That's what I'm sayin'.

I will and have driven thru most parts of Philly. The parts that even remotely look "unfriendly" I just keep rollin'.

However, Camden, I always go out of my way to avoid it.

[Charlemagne on the Fox]

I was in Chicago in 1976, in a parking lot at Rush Presbyterian Hospital. My car broke down and the AAA tow truck took me to the "nearest" AAA recommended repair shop--after I advised him which end of the car to jack up, so as to avoid transmission damage.

After an enjoyable trip through China Town we arrived at a derelict gas station across the street from the Illinois Institute of Technology. On one side of the gas station there was a sign reading "Owuso's Dynamic Transmission Repair Service" and on the other side "Dynamic" was spelled "dinamic". As the sun was now setting I called a friend to rescue me--it took two calls . . . he hung up on me, laughing hysterically, the first time--convinced I was joking.

[bikerman]

If you see bars on the windows and doors of homes and stores G.T.F.O ASAP

[Leftism is Mentally Deranged]

I am speculating that because his skin is light he was attacked and that none of the neighbors will admit to seeing anything and that this will not be called a hate crime and there will be no state-wide alert that includes a description of race.
Just speculating, based on past events.

[kx9088]

I would never live in NJ. It's bad enough that we're less than 10 miles from the DE River as it is.

If I were you, I would be looking for a way out. =D

[King of Florida]

Warning to tourists: Do not go to Miami.

Warning to FReepers: Do not listen to posters who make sweeping judgments based on a single incident.

[DustyMoment]

At one time we were considering moving down there (having vacationed there a couple of times), but the murders, the abominable heat in summer, and the hurricanes have soured us on the notion. Also, there seems to be a mosque on every other corner down there.

It's probably not quite that bad, but there are some undesirable elements. Miami has been a concern to tourists for a long time, but Central Florida is on a killing spree that is unrivaled in its history. I'm not sure what's going on or why. I'm also unsure why Florida seems to be such a mecca (if you will) for every criminal this side of the Mississippi. My wife and I have noticed the same thing that you have.

With respect to the weather, it's no big deal. You adjust to the heat pretty quickly (well, we did; but we moved here from Texas, too!). One of the benefits for us is being able to wear shorts on New Year's Day. We couldn't do that in Texas. As for Hurricanes, well, you're going to have nasty weather just about anywhere you live. Prior to 2004, central Florida hadn't had a hurricane for about 27 years, then all h*ll broke loose in 2004 that had us all shaking our heads.

[7thson]

I am not doubting you. But what irony. The libs talks about how we are failing to secure Bahgdad, yet there are portions in American cities the police cannot secure.

[7thson]

I am not doubting you. But what irony. The libs talks about how we are failing to secure Bahgdad, yet there are portions in American cities the police cannot secure.

[RunningWolf]

This would have been the summer of '73 for me.

[nickcarraway]

See, this is why men don't ask for directions. Why risk it?

[Old Student]

"See! When we don't ask for directions, it isn't male stubborness; it's finely honed survival instincts at work."

I'm gonna try that on my wife. I got lost and made her miss her pain doc appointment last week...

[CedarDave]

I have noticed that many of the crime shows on Court TV and A&E seem to feature Florida a lot more than other places. It gives you the impression that there must be a h*ll of a lot of murders there. At one time we were considering moving down there (having vacationed there a couple of times), but the murders, the abominable heat in summer, and the hurricanes have soured us on the notion.

So it's true. Crime TV shows do have an effect on vacationing and moving to the area. Last year the Albuquerque's mayor forbade PD cooperation with the TV show "Cops" and used that excuse. So no more new episodes from NM.

[T. Jefferson]

Top 4 Cities that resemble Zimbabwe, but are far more dangerous in my book

1. Elizabeth, NJ

2. Newark, NJ

3. Baltimore

4. Washington, D.C.

All four are hopeless Quagmires, and we need to cut and run immediately. If the taxpayers simply stopped financing criminals through taxation, it would remove the welfare safety net. The cities would implode and cease to exist in 30 days; like an accelerated Lord of the Flies.

[Tokra]

I used to work in Dearborn, right on the Detroit border. Detroit is a Third World Country . . . I've never seen anything like it in the U.S. And I'm a South-Sider (Chicago).

Just like every big city in the US, Detroit has its bad areas, but just like every big city in the US, Detroit has some beautiful areas. It's not ALL a third world city. I'm not just talking about the suburbs - I mean the city itself. Don't believe all the media hype about Detroit - it's not as bad as they portray it.