Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office employee killed in Port St. Lucie murder-suicide
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. —
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office announced on Monday, Aug. 3, that one of its employees was killed in a domestic violence incident in Port St. Lucie.
The sheriff’s office said Communications Officer Elizabeth “Liz” Ortega was the victim of a murder-suicide at her residence in Port St. Lucie.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office announced that Communications Officer Elizabeth Ortega was killed in a domestic violence incident at her Port St. Lucie home.
The sheriff’s office said Ortega began her emergency communications career with the Greenacres Police Department in November 2001. In February 2016, the Greenacres Police Department and its communications unit merged with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 News
“She was a respected and cherished part of our PBSO family, known for her kindness, compassion, and a warm smile that could brighten any room,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
The sheriff’s office added her son, Ralph Varela Jr., is a firefighter with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue.
Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
The sheriff’s office said funeral arrangements will be announced.
According to the Port St. Lucie Police Department, Elizabeth Ortega, 50, was a victim of a murder-suicide by her partner Ralph Varela Sr., 50, on Saturday, Aug. 1.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can talk with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or sending a text message to 988, or you can chat online here.