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TITUSVILLE, Florida (WESH) — A man identified by Daytona Beach police as the suspect in a deadly shooting Monday evening died after crashing his vehicle into a pond at Sand Point Park in Titusville, authorities said.
The investigation began around 6 p.m. when officers with the Daytona Beach Police Department responded to a reported shooting on Reena Drive.
When they arrived, they found a 44-year-old woman dead inside a home. Detectives later identified the victim as Jacqueline Reyes and the suspect — who had left the scene before officers arrived — as 54-year-old Robert Reyes Jr., of St. Cloud.
The department held a news conference to share the details of the incident.
“(Reyes Jr.) forced his way into the back door and executed her,” Daytona Beach police Chief Jakari Young said of the death of Jacqueline Reyes, describing Reyes Jr. as her estranged husband. “(…) The husband was trying to get her back, and then yesterday he found out that she had moved on and was dating new people, which infuriated him.”
The two shared three children together, one of whom made the 911 call, according to Young.
Daytona Beach police said video shows that Reyes Jr. attempted to take his own life before fleeing the scene, but the gun malfunctioned.
According to Daytona Beach police, information about Reyes Jr. and his vehicle was shared with surrounding law enforcement agencies. Titusville police later located the vehicle after it entered the city, where officers attempted a traffic stop.
Interim Titusville Police Chief TJ Wright said the department was alerted by its Flock Safety camera system that Reyes Jr.’s vehicle had entered the city. Officers tracked the vehicle from the north end of Titusville to the south end and back north before locating it about nine minutes after receiving the information from Daytona Beach police.
Titusville police officers attempted a traffic stop.
However, Wright said the driver fled eastbound on A. Max Brewer Memorial Parkway before crashing into a pond at Sand Point Park.
Multiple agencies responded to assist, including the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol.
A SWAT team and armored vehicle were also deployed before officers determined Reyes Jr. was dead inside the vehicle.
Titusville police initially pointed to preliminary evidence in suggesting Reyes Jr. died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, adding a handgun was recovered from the vehicle. Young’s remarks would offer additional details.
“(Reyes Jr.) fled down to Titusville and ultimately took his own life inside of a vehicle,” Young said.
The Brevard County Medical Examiner’s Office is expected to make the final determination for cause of death.
Daytona Beach PD said the victim attempted to obtain a restraining order in 2017 but failed to show up, so it was never put in effect.
Reyes Jr. also had a criminal history, including a felony charge for aggravated battery in 2017 out of Orange County that was dropped.
According to Young, Reyes Jr. had even broken into Jacqueline Reyes’ home late last year.
“He basically burglarized it, bleached some of her clothes and then left the scene,” Young said. “This has been going on for quite some time, and then yesterday it just came to a tragic end.”
Daytona Beach police said the homicide investigation remains active. No additional information about the shooting had been released at the time of this writing.
The mayor of Titusville, Andrew Connors, released a statement on the incident as well. See full statement below:
“Tonight, I want to commend the swift and professional response of the Titusville Police Department and our regional law enforcement partners during a critical incident at Sand Point Park.
As announced by TPD, this incident involved a homicide suspect from a neighboring county. Our Flock Safety camera system alerted Titusville Police that the suspect vehicle had entered our city, allowing officers to quickly locate the vehicle. The suspect vehicle subsequently crashed at Sand Point Park. According to TPD, there were no injuries to law enforcement officers. The driver of the suspect vehicle is deceased, and the cause of death is unknown at this time pending further investigation.
This incident demonstrates the value of investing in modern public safety technology and maintaining strong partnerships with neighboring law enforcement agencies. These tools help our officers respond quickly to dangerous situations and play an important role in protecting our community.
I am grateful for the courage and professionalism displayed by the men and women of the Titusville Police Department and thank our law enforcement partners for their cooperation throughout this incident.”
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