MOUNT DORA, Florida—The man and woman found dead in their Waterman Village apartment New Year’s Eve were a married couple in their 80s and the incident is a homicide investigation, Mount Dora Police Interim Chief Michael Gibson said at a news conference Sunday afternoon.
The man, 83, and woman, 80, were found shortly after 4 p.m. Saturday when MDPD responded to a 9-1-1 call from security personnel regarding a “suspicious incident” at 161 Lake Margaret Circle, located inside Waterman Village, a senior living community, Gibson said.
“The circumstances surrounding their deaths is suspicious in nature,” Gibson told reporters. “But let me be clear, this is a homicide investigation,” he said, “so we’re all transparent and up front.”
Gibson asked the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for their assistance with the crime scene and forensics and FDLE Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Lee Massie was on hand for the press conference, along with Mayor Crissy Stile and City Manager Patrick Comiskey.
Massie said FDLE is ready to assist in any way needed, “Obviously, the most important piece, I feel, will be our lab resources, the forensic science part of this,” he said.
In this reporter’s experience, it is uncommon for a local police agency to call in FDLE for assistance this early into an investigation.
Gibson gave very limited information, and most questions asked by reporters were answered with, “that’s part of the investigation.’
Stile stressed to residents they should not feel any less safe, however, officials would not confirm if the incident was a double murder or a murder/suicide “I want you all to be confident we live in a safe and strong and secure city,” Stile said.
Inside Lake asked Gibson if the community is in danger and he said, “No!” but there are no suspects in custody.
MDPD is asking anyone with information to call them at 352-735-7135 or Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS. Crimeline tipsters may be eligible for a reward.
”We will absolutely come to a successful conclusion in this investigation,” Gibson said.
