PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — WPTV’s Tyler Hatfield spoke with a Port St. Lucie woman who’s feeling lucky to be alive after being held hostage by her neighbor on Monday.
We went back to Tropical East neighborhood today, where Suzanne Rothermel told us 62-year-old Paul Maraio ran inside her home Monday afternoon, told her to shut the garage door and then took her phone.
3 dead, including suspect, in Port St. Lucie double homicide
She says Maraio admitted to shooting two other neighbors, then ordered her around the house while he helped himself to her fridge for food and drinks.
Rothermel says at one point, Maraio said he just got evicted from his home across the street.
“I always said someday he’s going to blow, but we never thought it would be this bad,” she said.
After about three hours, she says Maraio let her leave with her dog, Penny. Officers quickly pulled her to safety.
“I could be dead. I could be dead. He could, he could have just turned on me in a second,” she said.
Rothermel says Maraio went back inside. Police say he later shot himself in the chest.
“I’m the luckiest person in the world right now,” said Rothermel.
She is staying with her sister for the time being.
Investigators have still not released the names of the two men killed.
Rothermel tells us she knew the men — and they were wonderful people and neighbors.