It’s been about four weeks since Vero Beach Police said Jesse Ellis fatally shot his wife and her co-worker near the Indian River County Main Library, and the investigation continues, Police Chief David Currey said April 20.
Police accused Ellis, 64, of fatally shooting his wife, Stacie Mason, 49, and Danny Ooley, 56, both veteran Indian River County employees, the morning of March 24 as both were in Ooley’s pickup. Ooley also was married.
Investigators recovered a .223-caliber, AR-15 type rifle believed to have been used, and about 21 cartridge casings at the scene.
Currey has said police found Ellis’ pickup about 12:45 p.m. March 24 at South Beach Park on the barrier island, several hours after the shooting.
He said in speaking with county employees, police learned of apparent flirting and that Mason and Ooley had exercised and spent time together.
There was talk of a divorce between Mason and Ellis, and of selling the home. Ellis solicited a private investigator, Currey said.
“He apparently knew she was seeing somebody else,” Currey has said. “I think it seems like he wanted to find out who the person was definitively and that’s why he hired the PI.”
Currey has said after Ellis’ truck was found, he thought an officer spoke to rescue personnel and learned Ellis may have been the person rescue crews encountered hours earlier about ¼ to ½ mile in the ocean.
That person told rescue officials he was a deep-water swimmer and did not want assistance.
Ultimately, police believe this person may have returned to shore with the help of some people and walked south.
Investigators provided a photo taken about 11:20 a.m. of a man on a beach just after the individuals assisted the person who may have been Ellis.
“That’s why he certainly could have made it back to his truck right before we located the truck at 12:45 (p.m.),” Currey said.
When police searched Ellis’ truck, they found wet clothing, an empty holster and a .380-caliber magazine.
“We also located several documents that were indicative of his intention to harm himself or end his life,” Currey has said.
Currey on April 20 said first-degree murder warrants for Ellis remain active.
He said the investigation is ongoing and officials are continuing to wait for search warrants to get some digital evidence.
“We actually just went over the portion of the coastline with a drone the other day just to go back and continue our efforts,” Currey said.
Currey said Ellis might be alive and he might not.
“We believe, and we talked to his daughters, we talked to his closest friend and friends, and they feel that he is most likely deceased because they feel he could not face himself or his grandchildren or family,” Currey said.
Currey said he feels the probability that Ellis is dead is “fairly high.”
“Meanwhile, we have warrants,” Currey said. “If he is on the run, I think it’s a matter of time with the warrants.”
Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on X @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Four weeks after double homicide in Florida, where’s the gunman?
Reporting by Will Greenlee, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
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