[PHOTO CREDIT: Provided]
[Original Publish Date: 02/26/21]
TAVARES, Florida — The two victims in Thursday’s double murder-suicide never saw it coming, according to Tavares Police Lt. Sarah Coursey.
Wendy Higgins, 39, and James Delgiorno, 41, were found shot to death in bed shortly before 9:45 a.m. Thursday in the master bedroom of the home at 331 Lakecrest Drive and Joseph McGuirl, 47, was found slumped on the floor near Higgins with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. All three individuals worked together at Lake Port Square in Leesburg.
“It appears that both Delgiorno and Higgins were shot to death while they slept,” Coursey said in a press release.
Just before 9:30 a.m. Thursday, TPD received a request for assistance in locating McGuirl from Leesburg Police Department. McGuirl made suicidal comments via text messages in the early morning hours and LPD detectives obtained GPS data from McGuirl’s truck that showed his vehicle near the corner of Shorewood Drive and Lakecrest Drive. LPD advised Delgiorno was the owner of the home at 331 Lakecrest Drive and Higgins may also be at the home and all three individuals worked together and were a “no-call, no-show” at work, Coursey said.
TPD responded to the home and found McGuirl’s vehicle, along with a vehicle belonging to Delgiorno and a vehicle belonging to Higgins; neighbors approached officers and said they heard multiple gunshots at 2:57 a.m.
TPD officers checked around the exterior of the home and found that the rear sliding glass door that led to the master bedroom was shattered. Officers could see Delgiorno lying in bed along with Higgins and Higgins was on her right side, as if she was sleeping, according to Coursey. McGuirl was found on the floor next to Higgins’ side of the bed.
Neighbors spoke to Lake Legal News near the scene and said they heard multiple gunshots around 3 a.m. Thursday. One neighbor, who asked not to be identified said, “We know he (the man who lives in the home) had some issues. There was a confrontation in the road a few weeks, ago,” she said. Coursey confirmed TPD responded to the home in the past on Thursday, but Friday morning she told LLN the two incidents were not related.
There is no clear motive in the two murders, Coursey said, and the investigation is ongoing.
_______________________________
Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. Born and raised in Lake County, she is a graduate of Umatilla High School and Lake-Sumter State College. She started her journalism career at LSSC, where she was editor of both student publications, The Angler and The Odyssey. Her professional career began at the Daily Commercial in 2004 where she covered cops and courts the majority of her time there until she left in 2009. Currently, along with being Editor-in-Chief of Lake Legal News, she is the Florida bureau chief for an international media organization. She has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
