One of the men accused of fatally shooting three members of the Warlocks motorcycle club in Winter Springs over the weekend is a former leader in the organization who had ongoing rifts with current members, law-enforcement reports show.
Records obtained by the Orlando Sentinel show Sunday's slayings outside the VFW post were not the first time 52-year-old Longwood resident David "Tin Man" Maloney was accused of shooting someone.
Sunday's triple shooting unfolded when members of the Seminole County chapter of the Warlocks gathered outside the VFW post on North Edgemon Avenue to leave on a poker run to raise money for a charity.
Police said at least four men riding motorcycles rode into the parking lot and began firing. Harold Liddle and Peter Schlette died Sunday and David "Dresser Dave" Jakiela died Tuesday. They were members of the Warlocks' Seminole County chapter.
Four of those men, identified as members of the "Philly" Warlocks, were arrested on murder and attempted-murder charges: Paul Smith, 47, of Florence, S.C.; Victor Amaro, 41, of Winter Springs; Robert W. Eckert, 38, who has addresses in Inersville, Pa., and Longwood; and Maloney, who owns Affordable Screen & Patio in Central Florida.
Maloney, Smith and Amaro each have prior arrests. In September 2011, Maloney was accused of shooting and wounding another man outside Jonny Rotton's Bar Out Back, a Sanford biker bar.
It was deemed self-defense and he was not prosecuted. Maloney told officials he left the Warlocks in October 2010 and since then, members of the club have shot at him while riding his motorcycle and at his home. Maloney said he also received threatening calls and text messages.
Witnesses told officials there was animosity between Maloney and current members because he used to be president of the group but was kicked out, and owed money. One source told investigators there was a hit on Maloney and that members would come back and kill him. The motive for Sunday's shootings, if determined, has not been released publicly.
