VERO BEACH — Four weeks after the double murder outside a Vero Beach library, police say the hunt for the suspect is shifting toward a possible recovery effort.
Jesse Ellis, 65, remains at large in the shootings of his wife, Stacie Mason, and her co-worker Danny Ooley. Both victims worked for Indian River County public works and were found dead in a truck in the library parking lot on March 24.
Vero Beach Police Chief David Currey said Wednesday that evidence points to a grim outcome for Ellis.
“He doesn’t have truck and car keys. He doesn’t have a home. He doesn’t have his phone,” Currey said. The suspect even left the PIN for his phone so officers could search it. “He doesn’t have any resource per se.”
Currey added that Ellis left a “sorry guys” note in his truck and a legal pad with notes about his struggles with depression and anxiety. The chief said Ellis does not seem prepared or interested in staying on the run.
“I don’t think he has a whole lot of energy, wherewithal, or interest in being on the lam,” Currey said.
Ellis is charged with two counts of first-degree premeditated murder. Police say he shot the victims in what investigators described as a targeted attack linked to marital issues.
Shortly after the shooting, a man matching Ellis’ description swam about 900 yards into the ocean. Fire rescue crews helped him without knowing who he was. Surveillance video later showed him returning to land, changing clothes in his truck and heading into a wooded area.
The search has involved cadaver dogs, drones and helicopters. Despite those efforts, Ellis has not been found.
Currey said the case has led to new plans to share information faster between police and fire rescue during large incidents.
“We’re working on that to be able to send them … some type of … picture or more information or bulletin stuff,” he said.
The chief has downplayed the idea that Ellis fled by boat to the Caribbean, noting his age, health, and lack of resources.
“We want him to surface one way or the other,” Currey said. “Based on the investigation, there’s certainly a probability that he could be deceased and not have surfaced just yet. I think that’s more likely.”
No arrests have been made, and police say there is no ongoing threat to the public. The investigation is still ongoing.