PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (CBS12) — The names of the two men killed in Monday’s double homicide at the Tropical East community in Port St. Lucie were identified.
The Port St. Lucie Police Department (PSLPD) said Mark Douglas Golden, 54, and David Walter Gasik, 75, both residents of Port St. Lucie, were killed. The suspect, 62-year-old Paul Maraio, died early Tuesday after a self-inflicted gunshot wound during a tense standoff.
Police say the violence began around 3:15 p.m. Monday when Maraio allegedly shot Golden and Gasik in separate homes near SE Tropical Circle. After the shootings, Maraio entered a third residence and held a 77-year-old woman hostage. She was released unharmed after more than two hours of negotiations involving SWAT teams, drones, and crisis negotiators.
Maraio later barricaded himself and told officers he had shot himself. Drone footage confirmed the injury, and SWAT officers entered to find him critically wounded. He was transported to a hospital but died just before 2:30 a.m. Tuesday.
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Investigators believe the incident stemmed from an ongoing neighbor dispute, though the exact motive remains under investigation. “Something just brought our suspect to the edge,” said Police Chief Leo Niemczyk.
The case remains active, and authorities urge anyone with information to contact the Port St. Lucie Police Department at 772-871-5000.
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