A Sarasota man shot and killed his 34-year-old girlfriend and 6-year-old son at his mother’s home on Saturday, May 23, according to a probable cause affidavit filed by the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.
Around 11:45 a.m., deputies responded to 4707 Mondrian Court in the Artistry neighborhood of Sarasota after Donna Novickis called 911 to report Nicholas Novickis shot his son, Phoenix Novickis, and his girlfriend Allie Novickis, along with their dog.
Allie Novickis and Phoenix Novickis were pronounced dead at the scene. The dog, a husky, was alive after being shot in the back, and was taken to a local veterinarian, but later died.
Nicholas Novickis, 34, has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder and one count of animal cruelty and is currently being held in the Sarasota County Jail without bond.
During a sworn video and audio recorded interview, Donna Novickis said that Nicholas, Allie, and Phoenix Novickis came to visit, and when they arrived, Nicholas entered Donna’s room and told her they were there to swim.
Donna Novickis went back to sleep, only to later be awakened by the sound of breaking glass, the affidavit states.
She said she went to the back lanai and saw Phoenix Novickis standing near the doorway. Nicholas Novickis, she said, then walked out onto the lanai with a shotgun and shot his son one time in the head, killing him. Donna Novickis called 911, and while on the phone, Nicholas Novickis shot the dog and then dropped the shotgun, which Donna Novickis retrieved, the affidavit states.
As she moved through the home she observed that Allie Novickis had also been shot, according to the affidavit.
Donna Novickis later provided surveillance video that showed Nicholas Novickis walking out onto the lanai while holding a shotgun. The shooting of Phoenix Novickis was captured on video; the shooting of Allie Novickis was not.
At no time prior to the shooting did there appear to be an argument or any type of disturbance, the affidavit states.
While waiting to be interviewed, Nicholas made a spontaneous utterance in the interview room where he stated his regret for the murders, according to the document.
According to Sarasota Property Appraiser records, the home where the murders took place is owned by Robert and Donna Novickis. The couple bought the three-bedroom home in 2024 for $1.635 million, records show, and they are the first owners.
The Artistry neighborhood is a single-family home community east of Interstate 75 near Palmer Boulevard and Lorraine Road.
Prior to moving to Sarasota County, Robert and Donna Novickis lived in St. Charles, Illinois, records show.
Nicholas Novickis’ address is listed as a downtown Sarasota luxury apartment building. He is also from Illinois and appears to have moved to Sarasota only recently.
In April 2025, Novickis received a traffic ticket in Sarasota for unlawful speed in a school zone. He was driving 11 mph over the posted limit of 20 mph and paid a $206 fine for the infraction.
Novickis’ address on the ticket was listed as a four-bedroom, four-bathroom home in West Chicago. Zillow lists the home as being worth $636,000.
When Novickis was arrested he was driving a 2024 Subaru utility vehicle. The color was pink.
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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota man kills girlfriend, young son in Artistry neighborhood
Reporting by Chris Anderson, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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