On Tuesday, October 5, 2021, at 7:45 a.m., Sebastian police officers responded to the parking lot of Walmart, located at 2001 U.S. Highway 1, in reference to a female in a parked vehicle that was possibly deceased.
Upon arrival, officers discovered Jeanine Bishop, a 67-year-old female, deceased in a black Chevrolet pickup. Bishop’s fiance, Michael Despres, was also on the scene at Walmart and gave cryptic accounts of Bishop’s whereabouts before she was located in the parking lot, which raised suspicions with investigators.
Upon being interviewed by Sebastian detectives, he confessed to killing Bishop in their shared residence and later transported her body to the parking lot of Walmart, where he staged the incident.
The investigation is ongoing, and evidence is being collected from the suspect’s residence at the 400 block of Briarcliff Circle. In addition, evidence is being collected from his workplace and both of their vehicles.
“Without any doubt, this is due to the swift and exceptional work of the men and women working this investigation that it was able to be solved so quickly and efficiently,” Sebastian Police Chief Dan Acosta said.
Sebastian Daily will publish additional updates when information is available.
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