Friends of local beloved Florida artist look for answers into friends death

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - A homicide investigation continues in Orange County after a man was found dead on the side of a road.

Troopers said a passerby saw the man on the grass shoulder of South Westmoreland Drive, just north of 34th Street near Pineloch Elementary school.

Troopers say the body was found on November 16, at 7:16 a.m. but believe the body could have been there since 7 p.m. the night before.

Felicia Dean said that man was her friend, Tony Garan. He was a local artist around Central Florida.

"I'm not sure he ever really grasped how beloved he was within that community," Dean said. "He was so kind and eccentric. Tony worked daily to allow his light to overshadow his dark. That is how he expressed so much of these deep feelings, he felt everything."

Felicia said it's hard to grieve when you still have so many unanswered questions.

"It keeps me up at night wondering you know, the pain that he probably felt being so alone and not being able to do anything. He was just hurt and then just left there, he couldn't move, he couldn't reach out."

She is really hoping someone comes forward soon with information.

"I don't understand how somebody could hit someone like that, and just leave them there. You know, they probably have zero idea what kind of person they took away from us," Dean said.

If you have any information call FHP at 407-737-2213 or CRIMELINE at 800-423-8477. You can reference case # FHP22ON0591843.