Michael Spitz (or Stip?) tells police that he and Danny Lewis killed and buried Don Lewis

Detective Jorge Fernandez called me this morning and said that he had a new lead in Don’s disappearance. He asked if the name Michael Spitz meant anything to me and it didn’t. He said that the guy claimed to work for Don and that he was short, chubby and alcoholic. I asked if he was balding and he said no, that he had a full head of hair. Dad said it sounded like a guy that sometimes worked at WOES who Dad called the Samoan, because of his Polynesian looks.

Michael Spitz claimed that he was working out at the Hwy 92 farm in Seffner, on the front end loader, on the Saturday before Don disappeared and heard two gun shots. When he went to investigate he saw Don’s son, Danny Lewis, standing about 15 feet away with a gun in his hand. Don was dead on the ground, with two bullet holes in his head. Danny threatened Michael and his family if he were to ever tell.

They loaded Don into the bucket of the loader and covered him with palm leaves. They buried him in a pit that was 60 feet by 200 feet and maybe 30 feet deep under concrete that they were filling the hole with. Michael says he is dying of AIDS and only has a couple months left to live and wanted to come clean before he dies. Jorge asked if they could go dig around and I told him that I had sold the property, but that I would try to locate the new owners for him. I pulled it up on the computer and faxed it in with this note:

“Danny Lewis must be in his mid 30’s. I can’t find anything that had any more than just the name: Danny Lewis. He should have a pretty extensive rap sheet. Last time I saw him he was about 6 feet tall, blonde hair, bald on top. Don said he was adopted, but he looked so much like Don that I always suspected he was an illegitimate son that had been unwittingly adopted by Gladys Lewis Cross. Gladys Lewis Cross was last known to me as Gladys Lewis Cross at 1603 Lakewood Drive Brandon, FL. 33510. She was always very protective of Danny, so I don’t know if she would help. Seems like Danny was in prison or rehab at the time that Don disappeared because when his sisters and the secretary all came in and tried to take over our business, Danny wasn’t available to sign for himself, so Gladys Lewis Cross was representing him and using her address for his mail.

(Found this booking 6/14/2020)

These dates may help you fill in some of the pieces. Don fired Danny March 30, 1994, but Don fired Danny a lot, so I am not sure that was the last time. Don told me that his insurance policy draft in April of 1997 eliminated Danny and Don’s Daughter, Lynda Sanchez as beneficiaries.

The person I couldn’t think of was Alvin Coulter and I remember that he and Joe Ryan were the first people to call me asking about Don after he disappeared. When Don was robbed and beaten by the masked intruder in the late 1980’s he said that it was either Danny or Alvin Coulter and that either way they were in on it together. Joe Ryan is the person who originally built the house that you said is falling down at the old “farm” on Hwy. 92. Joe borrowed money to finish the home, didn’t make his payments and we foreclosed on him, taking the property and his home. Don and Joe were involved in litigation with Lazy Days at the time of his disappearance.

I asked my Dad if he remembered Michael Spitz and the closest he came to the description was someone that he called the Samoan, due to his Polynesian looks. I don’t know if this could have been the same person. You said that Michael Spitz is dying and that is why he has come clean, but you also said that he feared for his family’s lives, so I am wondering why that doesn’t matter now.

As for the property, I sold it in August of 1999 to Promised Land Fund, who sold it in November of 1999 to David R. and James M. Chadwell. Following is the Court record. I don’t have any contact info for the current owners. I know there was a shallow pit that was excavated and refilled with concrete, just NE of the house, but that pit was only about 60 feet round. I never saw how deep. Don had buried a lot of stuff that he was being made to dig out by the EPA. Don talked about a much bigger pit, more to the east of the house, closer to the water, that was the main source of the EPA complaint. Perhaps the EPA has a site map? I don’t have anything in my file that shows it. I do remember Don complaining about what the clean up was costing, so I would think it was a large amount of stuff being removed.

The dates Michael Spitz gave you were obviously wrong, and I am wondering if it happened later, how it was that Michael was still out there working? Who was paying him? The only person I remember living on that property, at that time, was Kenny Farr and Trish Farr. No one came to me asking to be paid, or asking if they should keep working out there. Please let me know if you discover any credible evidence.

Faxed the above to Jorge Fernandez 247-0537 reg. Ph. # 247-8663 10/18/01”

Jamie and Daniel Capiro left on the 17th for Australia. I asked Alan Schreier if he would be more comfortable if I stay at their house until the 24th when they get back and he said yes. He said he was moving to 804 Lakewood by the first week in November.

5/20/2020 Christopher Spata tells me that Mike Spitz was actually Mike Stip. The photos above came from Spata too. 6/13/2020 Ripper Jack interviews Kenny Farr’s ex-wire Trish who says this guy is “Mexican Mike” Garcia (I think. I’d have to listen again) and claims that he and Kenny had brought Don’s van, full of guns, to her marital home the day before Don disappeared. She makes a lot of false claims, but Kenny did often drive our vehicles and could have been getting the guns ready for the barge trip to Costa Rica. I think there was some news of this “Mexican Mike” being a contract killer. The police later told me his story couldn’t be true because Danny Lewis was locked up at the time.

I've been writing my story since I was able to write, but when the media goes to share it, they only choose the parts that fit their idea of what will generate views. If I'm going to share my story, it should be the whole story. The titles are the dates things happened. If you have any interest in who I really am please start at the beginning of this playlist: http://savethecats.org/

I know there will be people who take things out of context and try to use them to validate their own misconception, but you have access to the whole story. My hope is that others will recognize themselves in my words and have the strength to do what is right for themselves and our shared planet.

You can help feed the cats at no cost to you using Amazon Smile!

Visit BigCatRescue.org/Amazon-smile

You can see photos, videos and more, updated daily at BigCatRescue.org

Check out our main channel at YouTube.com/BigCatRescue

Music (if any) from Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com) This video is for entertainment purposes only and is my opinion.