A former Florida cop under investigation for having an affair while on duty has been charged with his wife's murder, which he allegedly staged to appear as a suicide.
Anthony Shea, formerly a sergeant with the Orange County Sheriff's Office (OCSO), told detectives he found his wife on their bed in a pool of blood, holding a gun.
The couple had been fighting since Shea was placed under investigation and subsequently resigned in response to allegedly participating in an extramarital affair while on duty.
Shea claimed his wife, OCSO Lieutenant Eloilda "Ellie" Shea, was depressed and overwhelmed, Click Orlando reported. When investigators arrived on scene the afternoon of Oct. 14, Shea was administering CPR.
Days later, 49-year-old Shea was arrested and charged with his wife's murder.
Upon review of cell phone records, detectives believe Shea delayed contacting 911 and sent himself a text message from his wife's phone with the intention of making her death look like a suicide.
"Tony I can't do this anymore please understand it's too much what you did to me I can't anymore. Take the girls for a drive give me space please," the last message on her phone read.
The death and investigation have taken a heavy toll on the Sheriff's Office.
"We have all struggled this week with feelings of shock, grief and guilt while we tried to make sense of Ellie's death, which was meant to appear as a suicide," Sheriff John Mina said. "I want to thank our homicide detectives, who had the extraordinarily difficult job of investigating a colleague's murder, for their diligence in ensuring justice for Ellie."
"A loving mommy of two little girls, Ellie served her community with grace, integrity and pride, and she will be profoundly missed," OCSO shared in a heartfelt message on social media, where they linked a GoFundMe created for the couple's young daughters.
Anthony Shea is held in the Orange County Jail without bond.
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