The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the circumstances leading up to a murder-suicide that left a 44-year-old mother and her two children, a 14-year-old boy and 11-year-old girl, dead Thursday in Lakewood Ranch.
Deputies responded around 8:30 p.m. to a residence in the 8200 block of Pavia Way — in the Lake Club, an upscale gated community whose residents once included Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger — to conduct a welfare check at the request of the children’s father, who was out of the country in South America.
When deputies arrived, officials said they encountered what appeared to be a violent murder scene. Inside the home, they found the boy and girl dead in separate rooms, each showing evidence of what investigators described as “homicidal violence.”
Authorities are still working to establish the timeline of the deaths. Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Randy Warren said a preliminary investigation suggests the boy may have died earlier than his sister and mother.
Investigators say the family moved to the community three years ago from Missouri, and no prior calls for service had been made to the home. While detectives are still examining what led up to the deaths, Warren said evidence indicates some level of planning and that the mother “knew what she was doing.”
The case remains active as detectives continue to process the scene and review the evidence. The Medical Examiner will determine the official causes and manner of death. Authorities say updates will be released as more information becomes available.
Melissa Pérez-Carrillo covers breaking news and public safety for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Reach out at mperezcarrillo@gannett.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Lakewood Ranch murder-suicide leaves 11-year-old, 14-year-old dead
Reporting by Melissa Pérez-Carrillo, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
