Childhood neighbor of man accused in teen's 1994 murder said he 'acted funny all the time'

A man who said he grew up next to Ronnie Hyde, the man accused of killing and dismembering 16-year-old Fred Laster in 1994, told Action News Jax that Hyde's parents were also very secretive.

And even though Hyde has lived in his Jacksonville Beach home for several years, neighbors told Action News Jax they rarely saw him.

"It's so blatantly obvious to me as a physician that he was abused as a child,” said Audrey Roach-Slivinski, a licensed clinical social worker.

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Roach-Slivinski never treated Hyde or his family members, but offered her opinion on the details Action News Jax is learning about Hyde’s upbringing and behavior over the years.

The former neighbor said that Hyde kept to himself and “acted funny all the time.”

"He was probably coached to not share what was going on in the house outside so he was probably nervous, anxious, lonely," Roach-Slivinski said.

Hyde's former neighbor said that Hyde's parents were "mean people and yelled at anybody that came close to the house."

Roach-Slivinski said isolation is often a sign of more serious issues.

"An abusive situation is indicated with that kind of behavior,” Roach-Slivinski said.

Hyde’s current neighbors in Jacksonville Beach also described him as keeping to himself and not letting people into his home.

Hyde grew up to become a licensed mental health counselor.

"He was probably trying to heal himself through others, which you have to do the work yourself before you can help others," Roach-Slivinski said.

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Roach-Slivinski said she has worked with people who have had similar childhoods and behaviors as Hyde.

"They come from an abusive background, their feelings aren't validated, they aren't important, they are seen as invisible so they act out in negative ways," Roach-Slivinski said.

When Hyde was arrested, we learned he was employed by Florida Department of Corrections health-services contractor, Centurion and was hired to counsel inmates.

"So maybe he was trying to see, like, 'Wow what's going to happen to me in here, what's life going to be like?'" Roach-Slivinski said.

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