FORT PIERCE, Fla. (CBS12) — Fort Pierce police formally charged the son of a Harbour Isle couple with two counts of first-degree murder more than a month after the pair was found shot to death inside their condominium.
On Monday, the Fort Pierce Police Department charged 56-year-old Philip Repaci with two counts of first-degree murder with a firearm, while he was already being held at the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office jail on local charges. FPPD announced the charges in an update released Tuesday.
Police thanked the community and IRCSO for their assistance during what investigators described as a complex case. The police department said the investigation remains active.
The charges stem from a Feb. 24 welfare check at the Harbour Isle at Hutchinson Island condominium complex. As previously reported, officers were dispatched around 12:30 p.m. after a family member contacted police, saying the couple had missed an appointment and could not be reached. When officers arrived at the residence, they found an elderly man and woman dead in the living room area with apparent multiple gunshot wounds.
Police later identified the victims as 85-year-old Philip Repaci and 80-year-old Joan Repaci, both Fort Pierce residents. Investigators said their adult son had left the scene before officers arrived.
A be-on-the-lookout alert was issued for the son’s vehicle, which was later located by Indian River County deputies. According to earlier reporting, deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, and the driver was taken into custody after allegedly fleeing the area. At the time, Philip Repaci, then 55, was detained on fleeing and eluding charges and named a person of interest in the homicide investigation.
Police previously stated the deaths were suspicious but emphasized the incident was isolated, with no ongoing threat to the public.
On March 30, Fort Pierce police confirmed they had obtained warrants charging Repaci with two counts of first-degree murder with a firearm, marking the first time homicide charges were formally filed in the case.
Authorities say the investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information related to the case is encouraged to contact the Fort Pierce Police Department at 772-467-6800 or Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-800-277-8477. Tips may also be submitted anonymously at www.tccrimestoppers.org.