Fort Pierce Police on Feb. 24 are investigating what appeared to be the shooting deaths of a couple found in a Harbour Isle condominium on Hutchinson Island, Chief David Smith said.
Smith said the couple’s 55-year-old son is a “person of interest” and is in custody in Indian River County after he is accused of not stopping for deputies attempting a traffic stop.
Police entered the man’s tag number into their license plate reading system and were able to track the vehicle to Indian River County.
Smith, standing outside the gated-complex off Harbour Isle Drive East, said investigators about 12:30 p.m. went to a welfare check after receiving a call from a family member stating that their parents had missed an appointment.
When they entered the condo, officers found a man and woman in their 80’s deceased in the living room area of their residence with what was believed to be multiple gunshot wounds.
“Early on, they were able to develop a person of interest as the adult son of the couple,” Smith said. “He was seen leaving the area and was later located by the Indian River (County) Sheriff’s Office.”
The names of the couple who died were not released.
“It’s too early in the investigation to say that it is a homicide,” he said.
Smith said the couple’s daughter “hadn’t heard from the parents, wanted a welfare check, and officers responded and located them deceased inside the apartment.”
The complex is across from the historic Chuck’s Seafood restaurant.
Smith said the 55-year-old son is believed to have stayed in the condo and may have lived elsewhere.
Asked what makes the son a person of interest, Smith said, “We know that he was here, we know he left the scene shortly before the arrival of officers.”
Smith said to his knowledge there have been no prior calls for service to the residence in the complex.
“This is obviously a very tragic incident for both the family and the officers that had to respond to such a scene,” Smith said. “And so we want to encourage anybody that’s going through any type of mental health or domestic challenge that they reach out for help or if anybody knows anyone going through that, that they try to get them help.”
(This story was updated with photo gallery, video and more information.)
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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: Police in Florida investigate 2 deaths at condo complex
Reporting by Will Greenlee, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
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