New details in 14-year-old Charlotte County murder case

PUNTA GORDA, Fla.- Tara Sidarovich, 19, vanished from her Punta Gorda home on October 1, 2001. Nine months later, Charlotte County deputies found her remains in the woods.

Detectives confirmed Sidarovich was killed by blunt force trauma to the ribs, but it took 11 years to make an arrest.

Hundreds of pages of evidence share new insight into Sidarovich’s death and the roles of David McMannis and Phillip Barr, the men accused of killing her.

Documents show Sidarovich was home alone, waiting for septic workers. McMannis and Barr admitted to detectives the teen had invited them in to fix toilets in the house, but they say they were only in there for 10 minutes.

When family got home later that day, Sidarovich was gone.

Investigators believe there was a struggle in the parents’ bedroom that day. Detectives found a scuff mark belonging to McMannis’ shoe on a dresser, as well as muddy footprints throughout several bedrooms, that are consistent with septic work.

Sidarovich’s parents told detectives they also found her earrings on the floor. They said the earrings were bent, and “looked like they were violently taken out.”

A detective suggested the suspects had possibly been stealing, and Sidarovich caught them in the act. Both McMannis and Barr later told detectives the other had taken jewelry from the home.

Authorities identified McMannis and Barr as suspects after witnesses put their cars at the house. Another witness says McMannis asked him to help hide a body.

Barr is set to go to trial October 12.