Domestic Violence In Lake Magdalene Leads To Murder-Suicide

In January 2022, a sheriff’s investigation in Hillsborough County led to the discovery of a deceased woman’s body in the back of a Jeep, which was parked in front of a home in Lake Magdalene. The deceased was the wife of her alleged abuser, who was later found dead of what authorities later called a self-inflicted gunshot wound. While this is a sadly common end to domestic violence incidents, many more alleged abusers are taken alive. If you have seriously injured or killed your alleged victim in a moment of rage, you need an experienced domestic violence attorney to make sure your rights are protected in court.

Patterns of Behavior

Statistics from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) estimate that 72 percent of all murder-suicides involve intimate partners, while 94 percent of the murder victims are female. In addition, murder-suicides are very often heralded by a past history of domestic violence in the home – if there have been multiple calls to law enforcement from your home, the risk is higher, and it also means that if you are taken into custody, it is unlikely you will receive bail. This would almost certainly have been the case with the alleged abuser in Lake Magdalene.

Florida characterizes domestic violence crimes as any offense causing physical injury or death to a “family or household member,” perpetrated by another family or household member. In turn, a “family or household member” means not only a spouse, but also a co-parent, someone related by blood or marriage, and someone with whom the perpetrator is (or was) holding themselves out as a family. Thus, any situation in which a ‘family or household member’ winds up deceased will be treated as a crime of domestic violence, which means the sentence will be correspondingly even harsher than it would be otherwise.

You Are Entitled To A Defense

If you have been charged with any type of homicide after a domestic violence incident, it may feel hopeless to try and defend yourself. However, it is possible to ensure your side of the story is heard, particularly if your actions were taken in self-defense. For example, Florida recognizes a defense known as ‘excusable homicide,’ which states that a homicide may be ‘excusable’ if it is committed out of “accident and misfortune” while doing any lawful act. While these may not get you off the proverbial hook, it may lower your sentence or otherwise affect your long-term outcome.

The Lake Magdalene incident ended tragically, and if you have allowed yourself to commit such an act in the heat of the moment, it is important that you know how life-changing that act may be for you and for the family of the deceased person. But you are also entitled to your day in court, and to all defenses that might be available to you. If you have been charged with homicide as a result of a domestic violence incident, an experienced attorney is a must to ensure that you have the best chance at a fair outcome.

Contact A West Palm Beach Domestic Violence Attorney

If you have committed an act of homicide during a domestic violence event, you have the right to your day in court. The West Palm Beach criminal attorneys from the firm of Perlet, Shiner, Melchiorre & Walsh, P.A. can help ensure that your rights are protected. Call our offices today at (561) 721-0552 to speak to an attorney.

Resource:

wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/body-found-lake-magdalene/67-bed58c6d-c0c6-4669-a94f-762b1ea2d6f3