Florida Library Shooting: Manhunt for Suspect in Double Fatal Shooting
A man is at large after allegedly shooting and killing his wife and a colleague in the parking lot of the Indian River County Main Library in Vero Beach, Florida, on Tuesday morning, authorities said Wednesday.
Jesse Scott Ellis, 64, has been identified by Vero Beach Police Chief David Currey as the suspect in the deaths of Stacie Ellis Mason, 56, and Danny Ooley, also 56. Both Mason and Ooley were employees of Indian River County Public Works. The shooting occurred around 7 a.m. In the library’s back parking lot.
According to police, Mason and Ooley arrived at the library separately. Surveillance footage showed Mason entering Ooley’s Ford Ranger before Ellis approached the vehicle and opened fire with a long gun, described as similar to an AR-15. Multiple shots were fired, killing both victims.
Chief Currey described the killings as a “crime of passion” stemming from a “targeted marital issue,” suggesting a romantic relationship between Mason and Ooley. He stated that Ellis and Mason had been married for 13 years and were potentially separating or in the process of divorce, and were preparing to sell their home.
Following the shooting, Ellis drove to South Beach Park, entered the ocean fully clothed, and swam approximately 900 yards offshore, Currey said. Fire department rescue crews encountered Ellis in the water after receiving a call from a concerned citizen on the beach. Ellis reportedly provided a false name to rescuers, who were initially unaware he was a suspect in the double homicide.
As of Wednesday morning, Ellis remained “still at large,” and authorities are continuing the search by boat. Currey acknowledged the possibility that Ellis may have drowned. He is described as approximately 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds.
Multiple firearms were recovered from Ellis’s home, according to police. Currey also revealed that Ellis had been receiving “professional services” in the weeks leading up to the shooting, but declined to provide further details.
Kristi Ellis, one of Jesse Scott Ellis’s daughters, confirmed to reporters that she was informed of her stepmother’s death Wednesday morning. “I just lost my parents,” she said. “I have no family.”
Mary Ooley, the mother of Danny Ooley, denied reports of an affair, stating, “He was not having an affair.” She then passed the phone to her husband, who declined to comment further.
Deryl Loar, chairman of the Indian River County Commission, praised Mason and Ooley for their dedication and service to the county. “Here’s a resilient community,” Loar said. “We will get through this.”