Records reveal past complaints about accused neighbor killer

WPBF 25 News is digging into past complaints against a Port St. Lucie man accused of murdering two of his neighbors. Port St. Lucie police responded to a shooting incident in the Tropical East community on Monday afternoon, where they learned two men had been killed. Police have identified the shooter as 62-year-old Paul Maraio, who shot and killed his neighbors, 54-year-old Mark Golden and 75-year-old David Gasik.According to the PSLPD, Maraio then entered the home of 77-year-old Suzanne Rothermel and held her hostage for about an hour.Maraio shot himself in Rothermel’s home and died the next morning.Port St. Lucie police Chief Leo Niemczyk said the motive appears to be an ongoing civil matter between Maraio and the community HOA. Niemczyk said the board was evicting Maraio. Residents in the neighborhood told WPBF 25 News they were aware of the ongoing issues and feared Maraio would snap. Prior Calls For Service According to the PSLPD, officers had responded to the neighborhood on three prior occasions involving Maraio and Golden. The following is a summary of three reports from the PSLPD outlining those calls for service. June 13th, 2024PSLPD responded to a disturbance between Paul Maraio and Mark Golden.Golden said he saw Maraio talking to another neighbor in the road about the HOA and politics.Later in the day, Golden said Maraio came back to his residence to speak about their differences in political views.Golden said the conversation was about their landscapers.When officers arrived, Maraio was still on Golden’s property.Golden requested that Maraio be trespassed.Maraio was issued a trespass warning and was told that he could no longer return to Golden’s property.March 12, 2025Officers with the PSLPD responded to a suspicious incident at a home on SE Tropical East Circle and made contact with Mark Golden.Golden advised that the HOA and the community have been having issues with one of the residents, Paul Maraio.Golden said Maraio has made harmful comments to many of the residents. He said he sent a letter to the homeowner, Maraio’s brother, to do something about Maraio’s behavior.Golden said Maraio was in his backyard and made a motion to his throat, making a cutting motion, before he then left the yard without saying anything.Golden told the officers the incident made him fear for his safety and advised that the Maraio had been trespassed from the property.Officers noted the trespass had expired.Officers made contact with Maraio, who said he was not on Golden’s property.When questioned about the incident, Maraio said he was on the phone with his friend while walking between residences and was reenacting “a scene with the Rock from wrestling” and made a motion towards his neck.Maraio said he simply glanced over to Golden as he passed the house and did not intend for the act to seem threatening in any way.Maraio told officers he had issues with Golden and feels Golden is harassing him.Maraio claimed Golden makes demeaning comments to him as he walks by his house.Officers informed Maraio that he was being trespassed from Golden’s property.Officers noted they did not find probable cause for assault, as both parties had conflicting statements, there were no independent witnesses, and no camera footage.Officers also told Golden to get cameras in his porch area, where he said Maraio walks by his residence.Sept. 22, 2025PSLPD responded to a call regarding a neighbor dispute.Officers made contact with the complainant, later identified as the husband of Mark Golden. The couple said they have had ongoing issues with a neighbor, identified as Paul Maraio, who resides in a house located across a canal from their property.They stated that Paul has repeatedly harassed them, including making verbal threats, trespassing on their property, and, most recently, using binoculars to look into their home.The Goldens stated that on this specific occasion, they were inside their home when they observed Maraio using binoculars to look into their residence.They said that they were unclothed at the time and felt violated by Maraio’s actions.The couple claimed to have recorded a video of the incident, which they showed to the officer. The video allegedly shows Paul standing inside his house and using binoculars to look toward the Goldens’ home.The couple stated that this behavior has occurred multiple times in the past and that they have contacted law enforcement on several occasions.They also mentioned that they had attempted to obtain a restraining order against Maraio but were informed by the court that there was insufficient evidence to proceed.The couple further stated that Maraio had previously trespassed on their property.The Goldens told the officer, on one occasion, that Maraio allegedly entered their garage and attempted to open a door leading into their home. They said that they screamed at Maraio, who then left the property before law enforcement arrived.The couple expressed frustration that the trespass orders have not resolved the ongoing issues.The officer made contact with Maraio, who they said appeared agitated and stated that this was the fourth time his neighbors had called the police on him.Maraio denied using binoculars to spy on the Goldens and claimed that he uses binoculars to look at wildlife and space shuttle launches.Maraio stated that he sometimes stands on his patio or inside his house to use the binoculars, but insisted that he does not look into his neighbors’ homes.Maraio also mentioned that he has lived in the neighborhood for 32 years and has had ongoing disputes with several neighbors.He stated that he supports law enforcement and displayed a police flag on his property.Maraio expressed frustration with his neighbors, whom he accused of targeting him because of his political beliefs. Maraio stated that he has retained an attorney and plans to take legal action against his neighbors for harassment.The officer advised the Goldens to continue documenting any incidents involving Maraio and to report any violations of the trespass order. The officer also recommended that they work with their HOA to address their concerns.Could This Have Been Prevented? Niemczyk said the three prior incidents were all deemed civil matters, and no crime was committed. “In this particular case, the suspect never crossed the line from civil into criminal, and he was always very cooperative with law enforcement. He was known to be law enforcement friendly, liked dealing with law enforcement, and he always had a quick answer, always had an explanation for the behavior,” he said. Niemczyk said they never found anything that made them consider Maraio an imminent threat. However, he acknowledged that Golden did. “Neighbor disputes aren’t anything new to law enforcement. They’re certainly not for this police department. When we look at situations like this, we’re always wondering, could we have done something better? Is there anything that we should have picked up on? Is there any predictor that could have helped us to prevent this tragedy? So that’s one of the things that my team and I have been taking a strong look at,” Niemczyk said. He said the PSLPD has a targeted violence unit that monitors people who meet a certain criteria and are identified as criminal threats. “We also proactively pursue risk protection orders against suspects or persons that we suspect could become violent, and those are typically people involved in gun-related violence within the community; that could be neighbor disputes, it could be domestic, it could be otherwise. So we’re doing everything we can to scan,” he said. The chief said Maraio had no criminal record. “I think it’s obvious that we carefully documented what had occurred. We had issued two criminal trespasses. We had referred them to the court. Short of something criminal being committed, that’s about as far as we’re capable of going. I don’t know what else we could have done,” he said.This is a developing story.

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. —

WPBF 25 News is digging into past complaints against a Port St. Lucie man accused of murdering two of his neighbors. Port St. Lucie police responded to a shooting incident in the Tropical East community on Monday afternoon, where they learned two men had been killed. Police have identified the shooter as 62-year-old Paul Maraio, who shot and killed his neighbors, 54-year-old Mark Golden and 75-year-old David Gasik.

According to the PSLPD, Maraio then entered the home of 77-year-old Suzanne Rothermel and held her hostage for about an hour.

Maraio shot himself in Rothermel’s home and died the next morning.

Port St. Lucie police Chief Leo Niemczyk said the motive appears to be an ongoing civil matter between Maraio and the community HOA. Niemczyk said the board was evicting Maraio. Residents in the neighborhood told WPBF 25 News they were aware of the ongoing issues and feared Maraio would snap.

Prior Calls For Service

According to the PSLPD, officers had responded to the neighborhood on three prior occasions involving Maraio and Golden.

The following is a summary of three reports from the PSLPD outlining those calls for service.

June 13th, 2024

PSLPD responded to a disturbance between Paul Maraio and Mark Golden.

Golden said he saw Maraio talking to another neighbor in the road about the HOA and politics.

Later in the day, Golden said Maraio came back to his residence to speak about their differences in political views.

Golden said the conversation was about their landscapers.

When officers arrived, Maraio was still on Golden’s property.

Golden requested that Maraio be trespassed.

Maraio was issued a trespass warning and was told that he could no longer return to Golden’s property.

March 12, 2025

Officers with the PSLPD responded to a suspicious incident at a home on SE Tropical East Circle and made contact with Mark Golden.

Golden advised that the HOA and the community have been having issues with one of the residents, Paul Maraio.

Golden said Maraio has made harmful comments to many of the residents. He said he sent a letter to the homeowner, Maraio’s brother, to do something about Maraio’s behavior.

Golden said Maraio was in his backyard and made a motion to his throat, making a cutting motion, before he then left the yard without saying anything.

Golden told the officers the incident made him fear for his safety and advised that the Maraio had been trespassed from the property.

Officers noted the trespass had expired.

Officers made contact with Maraio, who said he was not on Golden’s property.

When questioned about the incident, Maraio said he was on the phone with his friend while walking between residences and was reenacting “a scene with the Rock from wrestling” and made a motion towards his neck.

Maraio said he simply glanced over to Golden as he passed the house and did not intend for the act to seem threatening in any way.

Maraio told officers he had issues with Golden and feels Golden is harassing him.

Maraio claimed Golden makes demeaning comments to him as he walks by his house.

Officers informed Maraio that he was being trespassed from Golden’s property.

Officers noted they did not find probable cause for assault, as both parties had conflicting statements, there were no independent witnesses, and no camera footage.

Officers also told Golden to get cameras in his porch area, where he said Maraio walks by his residence.

Sept. 22, 2025

PSLPD responded to a call regarding a neighbor dispute.

Officers made contact with the complainant, later identified as the husband of Mark Golden. The couple said they have had ongoing issues with a neighbor, identified as Paul Maraio, who resides in a house located across a canal from their property.

They stated that Paul has repeatedly harassed them, including making verbal threats, trespassing on their property, and, most recently, using binoculars to look into their home.

The Goldens stated that on this specific occasion, they were inside their home when they observed Maraio using binoculars to look into their residence.

They said that they were unclothed at the time and felt violated by Maraio’s actions.

The couple claimed to have recorded a video of the incident, which they showed to the officer. The video allegedly shows Paul standing inside his house and using binoculars to look toward the Goldens’ home.

The couple stated that this behavior has occurred multiple times in the past and that they have contacted law enforcement on several occasions.

They also mentioned that they had attempted to obtain a restraining order against Maraio but were informed by the court that there was insufficient evidence to proceed.

The couple further stated that Maraio had previously trespassed on their property.

The Goldens told the officer, on one occasion, that Maraio allegedly entered their garage and attempted to open a door leading into their home. They said that they screamed at Maraio, who then left the property before law enforcement arrived.

The couple expressed frustration that the trespass orders have not resolved the ongoing issues.

The officer made contact with Maraio, who they said appeared agitated and stated that this was the fourth time his neighbors had called the police on him.

Maraio denied using binoculars to spy on the Goldens and claimed that he uses binoculars to look at wildlife and space shuttle launches.

Maraio stated that he sometimes stands on his patio or inside his house to use the binoculars, but insisted that he does not look into his neighbors’ homes.

Maraio also mentioned that he has lived in the neighborhood for 32 years and has had ongoing disputes with several neighbors.

He stated that he supports law enforcement and displayed a police flag on his property.

Maraio expressed frustration with his neighbors, whom he accused of targeting him because of his political beliefs. Maraio stated that he has retained an attorney and plans to take legal action against his neighbors for harassment.

The officer advised the Goldens to continue documenting any incidents involving Maraio and to report any violations of the trespass order. The officer also recommended that they work with their HOA to address their concerns.

Could This Have Been Prevented?

Niemczyk said the three prior incidents were all deemed civil matters, and no crime was committed.

“In this particular case, the suspect never crossed the line from civil into criminal, and he was always very cooperative with law enforcement. He was known to be law enforcement friendly, liked dealing with law enforcement, and he always had a quick answer, always had an explanation for the behavior,” he said.

Niemczyk said they never found anything that made them consider Maraio an imminent threat. However, he acknowledged that Golden did.

“Neighbor disputes aren’t anything new to law enforcement. They’re certainly not for this police department. When we look at situations like this, we’re always wondering, could we have done something better? Is there anything that we should have picked up on? Is there any predictor that could have helped us to prevent this tragedy? So that’s one of the things that my team and I have been taking a strong look at,” Niemczyk said.

He said the PSLPD has a targeted violence unit that monitors people who meet a certain criteria and are identified as criminal threats.

“We also proactively pursue risk protection orders against suspects or persons that we suspect could become violent, and those are typically people involved in gun-related violence within the community; that could be neighbor disputes, it could be domestic, it could be otherwise. So we’re doing everything we can to scan,” he said.

The chief said Maraio had no criminal record.

“I think it’s obvious that we carefully documented what had occurred. We had issued two criminal trespasses. We had referred them to the court. Short of something criminal being committed, that’s about as far as we’re capable of going. I don’t know what else we could have done,” he said.

This is a developing story.