Kickboxer's death ruled homicide

TAMPA -- The death of Timothy Chipley, the kickboxer whose body was found Friday in a pond, has been ruled a homicide by the Hillsborough Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff's officials are working with the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner's Office to determine the cause of death.

Chipley's body was found just before 5 p.m. Friday after a driver pulled up, pointed to the water and said "dead body" in Spanish. Three boys sitting near the pond heard him and saw the body. Luciano Massari, 15, gave his phone to a friend, who called 911. Chipley's friends had gathered for a vigil about the same time and soon learned of the discovery.

Chipley, 34, was identified Saturday afternoon by a tattoo on his shoulder and by his clothes, which were the same jeans, shirt and boots he was wearing when last seen Jan. 27 about 2:15 a.m. at O'Brien's Irish Pub on N Dale Mabry Highway.

Friends say he was destined to leave on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Thailand to train in the martial arts.

Read previous coverage: Body from pond identified.

- Casey Cora, Times staff writer