Palm Bay's Notorious 'Compound' Plagued by Years of Crime, Death

City leaders push for redevelopment to transform the abandoned area into a business and industrial park.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 7:33pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a discarded suitcase handle, lit by a harsh, direct camera flash against a pitch-black background, conceptually illustrating the grim discoveries made in the Compound.The discovery of abandoned suitcases containing human remains has renewed calls for change in Palm Bay's notorious 'Compound' area.Palm Bay Today

The Compound, a 2,321-acre stretch of undeveloped land in Palm Bay, Florida, has become a magnet for crime over the years, with a dark history of abandoned suitcases containing human remains, murders, and other high-profile incidents. The city has now introduced a redevelopment plan to transform the area into a business and industrial park, aiming to create 2,500 new jobs and generate nearly $2 million in annual tax revenue.

Why it matters

The Compound's reputation for crime and violence has long been a concern for the Palm Bay community, with calls for change and redevelopment growing louder in recent years. The city's redevelopment plan represents an effort to address the area's issues and turn it into an economic asset for the region.

The details

Over the years, the Compound has been the site of numerous high-profile crimes, including the discovery of an abandoned suitcase containing human remains in March 2026, the second-degree murder conviction of Daniel Stearns for killing Nancy Howery in 2025, and the Christmas Day 2022 shooting deaths of Jeremiah Brown and Travon Anthony. The city has now introduced a five-phase redevelopment plan to transform the Compound into a business and industrial park, with the goal of creating 2,500 new jobs and generating nearly $2 million in annual tax revenue.

  • In March 2026, an abandoned suitcase containing human remains was discovered on Bombardier Boulevard in the Compound.
  • In December 2025, Daniel Stearns was sentenced to life in prison for the second-degree murder of Nancy Howery, whose dismembered and burned remains were found scattered across the Compound in 2023.
  • In April 2025, Palm Bay introduced the 'The Compound Redevelopment Action Plan,' a five-phase project to transform the area into a business and industrial park.
  • In December 2023, Jamarcus Simpson was arrested nearly a year after the Christmas Day 2022 shooting deaths of Jeremiah Brown and Travon Anthony inside the Compound.
  • In September 2023, police said Nicolas Mitchell's body was found in the Compound after his roommate reported that Mitchell wore a GPS-enabled heart monitor.

The players

Lucas Jones

A 19-year-old resident of Indialantic who was arrested in connection with the discovery of the abandoned suitcase containing human remains in the Compound in March 2026.

Councilman Kenny Johnson

A Palm Bay city council member who said the city has applied for a $3 million state grant to build utilities in the Compound to attract development.

Daniel Stearns

A 35-year-old man who was sentenced to life in prison for the second-degree murder of Nancy Howery, whose dismembered and burned remains were found scattered across the Compound in 2023.

Jamarcus Simpson

An 18-year-old who was arrested nearly a year after the Christmas Day 2022 shooting deaths of Jeremiah Brown and Travon Anthony inside the Compound.

Rene Lemos

A 41-year-old man who was arrested out of state in connection with the death of Nicolas Mitchell, whose body was found in the Compound in September 2023.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

What’s next

The city has applied for a $3 million state grant to build utilities in the Compound to attract development and has introduced a five-phase redevelopment plan to transform the area into a business and industrial park.

The takeaway

The Compound's long history of crime and violence has been a persistent issue for the Palm Bay community, but the city's redevelopment plan represents an effort to address these problems and turn the area into an economic asset for the region. The success of this plan will depend on the city's ability to attract new businesses and investment to the Compound, while also addressing the underlying social and economic factors that have contributed to the area's decline.