Julie Sulpizio

State to seek death penalty in August ambush attack on deputies

TAVARES, Fla.—The woman accused of helping mastermind an ambush attack on Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies may pay for her crimes with her life.

Fifth Judicial Circuit Assistant State Attorney Kenneth Nunnelley filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty late Tuesday afternoon in the case against Julie Sulpizio.

Sulpizio, 48, is accused of starting an altercation with her neighbors on Brookside Drive in unincorporated Eustis on Aug. 2. LCSO responded to the altercation and during a well-being check at her home, just down the street from the original call, Master Deputy Bradley Link was shot and suffered fatal wounds. In an immediate rescue attempt of Link, K9 Master Deputy Harold Howell was shot in the wrist and in a subsequent rescue attempt, Deputy Stefano Gargano was shot multiple times. Howell and Gargano have since been released from the hospital and continue to recover from their injuries.

Evidence at the scene revealed Julie’s husband, Michael, and daughters, Cheyenne and Savannah, opened fire on the deputies and all three were found dead from self-inflicted gunshot wounds after LCSO’s SWAT made entry to the home.

Sulpizio is facing a multitude of charges, including principal to first degree murder of a law enforcement officer, conspiracy to commit first degree murder, three counts of principal to attempted first degree murder of a law enforcement officer, three counts of battery and one count of battery on a law enforcement officer.

Sulpizio is being held on no bond at an undisclosed detention center and has pleaded not guilty.

State to seek death penalty in August ambush attack on deputies Read More »

BREAKING NEWS: Matriarch indicted for ambush of deputies

TAVARES, Fla.—A Lake County grand jury has indicted Julie Sulpizio for her role in the death of one Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputy and the attempted murder of two others on Aug. 2.

Sulpizio is now officially charged with principal to premeditated murder of a law enforcement officer, three counts of  principal to attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, conspiracy to commit murder, battery on law enforcement officer, three counts of battery. The battery charges stem for her original altercation with neighbors.

Sulpizio has been held on no bond since her arrest Aug. 5 after she was medically cleared from AdventHealth Waterman in Tavares. She was detained since the night of the incident on a Baker Act, LCSO said earlier this month.

On Aug. 2, Sulpizio started an altercation with her neighbors on Brookside Drive in unincorporated Eustis. She attacked the neighbors and LCSO responded, and during a well-being check at her home, just down the street from the original call, Master Deputy Bradley Link was shot and suffered fatal wounds. In an immediate rescue attempt of Link, K9 Master Deputy Harold Howell was shot in the wrist and in a subsequent rescue attempt, Deputy Stefano Gargano was shot multiple times. Howell was released from the hospital and continues to recover at home; Gargano is still in the hospital and is in stable condition.

Upon entering the home, LCSO’s SWAT Team extracted Link and found Michael, and his adopted daughters, Cheyenne and Savannah Sulpizio, all dead from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Evidence at the scene indicated all three opened fire and ambushed the deputies.

Sheriff Peyton Grinnell revealed during Link’s Celebration of Life Service, that Link’s wife, Brittany, called her husband that tragic night and one of the assailants answered his phone and spoke to her.

Sulpizio is being held at an undisclosed detention center in the area, “That’s not uncommon in high publicity cases such as this one,” Lt. John Herrell told Inside Lake in an earlier interview.

Sulpizio charged with multiple capital crimes and could face the death penalty.

Previous story: Matriarch now facing charges in “horrific nightmare” ambush of deputies – Inside Lake

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