Two Indian River County employees were shot and killed Tuesday morning outside the Indian River County Main Library at 1600 21st Street in Vero Beach in what police describe as a targeted double homicide stemming from an affair and marital breakup. Police Chief David Currey said officers responded around 7:01 a.m. to reports of multiple gunshots and found Danny Ooley, assistant director of Public Works, and Stacie Mason, a traffic analyst technician, dead from multiple gunshot wounds in and around a vehicle in a nearby parking lot. The suspected gunman, identified as Jesse Ellis, Mason’s husband, remains at large as authorities search land and water along the barrier island.
“The reality of this loss is profound, and there are no words that can fully capture its weight,” said Chairman Deryl Loar in a statement with County Administrator John A. Titkanich Jr. Currey said investigators believe Ellis approached Ooley’s parked Ford Ranger after Mason got into the passenger side of the truck and then opened fire. Police said Ooley was shot first in the driver’s seat, and “the gunman then moved around the vehicle and fired additional rounds as Mason either fell or was pulled from the truck,” Currey said. Detectives say surveillance video captured the shooting, though the footage has not been released.
Investigators said the killings appear to have stemmed from a personal relationship, with “Mason and Ellis had apparently been discussing separation or divorce and selling their home,” Currey said. Detectives also believe Mason and Ooley had been romantically involved for at least several weeks. The chief said Ellis had obtained professional services to look into the relationship, later indicating that may have involved something like a private investigator. Police recovered the weapon believed to have been used at the scene, described as an AR-style long gun.
Authorities believe Ellis fled the library scene, drove a gray Ford F-150 to South Beach, and may have then gone into the ocean. Currey said a woman reported seeing a tall man walking into the water fully clothed around 7:30 a.m., and emergency responders encountered a man around 8:30 a.m. about 900 yards offshore who gave a false name and declined help. Police have not confirmed that person was Ellis, and he remains a person of interest at large. Matt Mulholland, who lives nearby, said he heard the gunshots and “it’s chilling having something like this happen so close to home, literally in our backyard where we take out the trash.”
Mulholland said he “woke up to about 5 to 10 gunshots” around 7 a.m. and initially wasn’t sure if they were gunshots or another noise. He noted another shooting occurred a month ago near a Planet Fitness where he was working out at the time. First Baptist Church Preschool, across the street from the crime scene, said no one was on campus at the time, and school hours proceeded as normal.
Ooley dedicated nearly 25 years to Indian River County Public Works, rising through the ranks to Assistant Director through his experience, leadership, and commitment to service. Mason had served the County since 2014, spending 14 years with the county as a traffic analyst technician. According to Indian River County officials, she was known for her professionalism, reliability, and the positive presence she brought to her team. County leaders said both victims were longtime public servants, and officials said the county is offering counseling and support to grieving employees.
Search warrants have been executed on the suspect’s vehicle, the victims’ vehicles and a South County home connected to Ellis. Currey said investigators recovered multiple firearms and digital evidence, including cell phones, and are continuing forensic analysis as the investigation remains active. Police said that is why they have continued to describe the case as an isolated, targeted incident and not a broader threat to the public, though Currey acknowledged any encounter with Ellis could still pose danger, especially for law enforcement. Authorities say that no further details will be released at this time as the search for Ellis continues.