JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — With the help of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, 51-year-old James Paul Lally of Lee County is now behind bars for second-degree murder.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office first opened an investigation into Lally after he and Suzanne LaPierre disappeared on Feb. 20.
The investigation led detectives to Lally’s Fort Myers home where they found a bloody scene. They determined that Lally had beaten LaPierre to death with a hammer before going on the run.
Further investigation revealed LaPierre’s remains in a wooded area in Fort Myers.
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Lee County detectives tracked Lally’s movements to Jacksonville where he was found and subsequently held in custody by JSO on Feb. 22.
A helicopter was sent to pick Lally up and bring him back to Lee County, where he was placed under arrest.
“Lally thought that leaving Lee County would secure his freedom,” Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said.
“You can run but you cannot hide. We will find you. We will put you behind bars.”
Watch the full briefing by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office here.
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