A Florida man is behind bars after he killed his fiancée when she called off their engagement, police say.
Timothy Hyder, 57, of St Cloud, Florida, allegedly shot Natalie Du’Mee in the head Sunday after she returned his engagement ring and told him she wouldn’t marry him.
The couple had just returned home from a football party where they had been drinking, according to Fox 35. They had a fight about their relationship that escalated. During the fight, Du’Mee reiterated to Hyder that she wasn’t going to marry him.
He went to retrieve his gun and returned to Du’mee. He then asked if she was serious. When she said “yes,” he killed her, police said.
Hyder then told the woman’s daughter, who had been inside watching TV, to dial 911. She’d tried to help her mother until emergency responders arrived but was unsuccessful. Officers arrived at the couple’s residence on Western Sun Drive to find the woman deceased on the back patio. Authorities found a handgun “in plain sight” on the kitchen counter, according to Fox 35.
Hyder told officers that he “snapped,” the outlet reported.
He’s since been charged with first-degree murder and is being held in jail without bail.
The couple had been dating for about three years, the Miami Herald reported.
Raymond Brennan, who lives close to Hyder, told the outlet that he was shocked over what had happened. He described the neighborhood as quiet and safe.
“This is the first time since I’ve been here that anything even close to this has happened,” said Brennan. “You don’t even hear about robberies in this neighborhood, so this is kind of shocking for most people here.”
“Our hearts go out to the victim and her loved ones during this unimaginably difficult time,” St. Cloud Police Chief Douglas Goerke said in a statement. ”If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, there are resources to support you. Reach out to a trusted friend, family member, or a local domestic violence hotline. You are not alone.”
