A woman visiting Florida who helped rescue a struggling swimmer in the ocean later learned he is wanted for the double murder of his wife and her alleged lover.
The woman, who identified herself as Belinda, told a local news outlet she heard a man screaming for help while she was walking near Riomar Beach the morning of March 24, the New York Post reported. Belinda said she ran into the ocean to help the man and told him to get on his back and let the waves carry him to shore.
“So, he got on his back, and he said, ‘I’m exhausted, I’m tired,’ and I said, ‘Do it! Get on your back and let the waves carry you, you can do it, come on,’” Belinda said, adding that the man replied strangely by saying he was “going to take a long vacation.”
Police released video of Belinda bending down by the swimmer, who was later identified as double-homicide suspect Jesse Scott Ellis. The video shows Ellis, 64, making it out of the water, according to the report.
Ellis allegedly shot and killed his wife of 13 years, Stacie Ellis Mason, and her married coworker, Danny Ooley, earlier that day in the parking lot of the Indian River County Main Library in Vero Beach, according to the report.
Officials with the Vero Beach Police Department said during a press conference that they believe Mason and 56-year-old Ooley were having an affair.
Security footage showed Mason and Ooley, who both worked for county government, driving to the library separately before Mason got into Ooley’s car, according to the report.
Vero Beach Police Chief David Currey told reporters Ellis allegedly drove into the parking lot only a few minutes later and fired several shots at Ooley’s car with an AR-15-style rifle before fleeing the scene.
Police said they executed a search warrant and searched Ellis’s truck, which was found at South Beach Park and contained wet clothing, an empty holster, and a .380 magazine, according to the report.
Police also said they found several documents dating back to earlier that month showing Ellis planned to end his life and described his pain and heartbreak.
Police had not caught Ellis as of Monday evening and told residents that there would be law enforcement in the area as they continue to search for him.
Belinda said that she still would have helped rescue Ellis if she had known about his alleged crimes, although she said she would have called police right away.
“I could not leave him in the water no matter what,” Belinda said. “Everybody is going through something.”
Ellis is wanted on two counts of first-degree premeditated murder, which is a capital felony that could warrant a death sentence if he is found alive and found guilty, according to the report.