ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Two Florida deputies were found dead inside a home in St. Augustine in what is believed to be a murder-suicide.
The two Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office deputies’ bodies were discovered on Saturday night at a vacation rental home located on the 5300 block of A1A South in St. Augustine.
While details are still preliminary, authorities have learned that the deputies involved, who were in a romantic relationship, were heard arguing in a bedroom by fellow deputies on vacation with them just prior to the sound of gunshots. Both deputies were discovered with fatal gunshot wounds.
Neighbor Kieran Wallace lives right next door and heard it all unfold around 10:30 p.m.
“I could hear a police officer on a megaphone, he was shouting for a ‘Daniel’ to come out with his hands up,” Wallace said.
The preliminary investigation indicates that the gunshot wound to Detective Daniel Leyden appeared to be self-inflicted and that he was the sole shooter. Detective Leyden worked within the Criminal Investigations Division.
The victim is also a deputy, assigned to Uniform Patrol District III.
Wallace said the demands from deputies of the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office went on for over 30 minutes.
“We got a call that said we need to lock our doors and stay away from windows and doors and keep inside,” Wallace said. “At that point we were a little bit alarmed.”
All the circumstances and facts of this tragedy, including the motive, remain under investigation by SJSO.
The HCSO Peer Support Team, a group of employees who volunteer to provide confidential assistance to other employees and their families in times of trauma, is in touch with the immediate colleagues of both deputies involved and available as a resource to all HCSO personnel.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office sent out the following statement:
“Our Sheriff’s Office family is still reeling from the shock of this unthinkable tragedy. My prayers for strength and comfort are with the families and loved ones of these deputies, and every member of Team HCSO affected by this painful loss,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “Violence is never a solution, and I urge any employee who is dealing with a crisis to take advantage of the many resources our agency has created over the past several years which include Peer Support, Chaplains, and a clinical psychologist. Help is just a phone call away.”
Wallace said the house the deputies were in is a rental vacation spot. Action News Jax tried to get in touch with the owner but had no luck.
“They asked us if we heard any arguing or anything but we honestly didn’t know if anybody was there,” Wallace said. “It’s an Airbnb so people come in and out. There was a truck but we never saw the people leave or anything.”
SJSO is leading the investigation.
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