Florida Man Shoots And Kills Wife And 20-Year-Old Newlywed Neighbor Who Tried To Mediate Domestic Dispute


Authorities in Florida have revealed that the bravery of one Florida newlywed ended in tragedy after his attempt to intervene and aid the wife of his neighbor during a domestic dispute led to the death of the expectant father. The argument occurred one day before Father’s day, and sadly reports are that the man also killed his wife along with the man who tried to mediate the dispute and save her, resulting in a double homicide.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office have said that the double homicide was committed by 47-year-old Placido Moreno-Torres, and the suspect was placed under arrest as soon as police identified him as the killer and tracked him down. After shooting and killing his 44-year-old wife, Amparo Moreno, and the neighbor who tried to mediate the domestic dispute they were having, the suspect had fled the scene, and police had to hunt for the murderer. The man is currently being held at the Lee County Jail, facing charges of two counts of homicide as well as one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

A Florida Judge ruled that Placido Moreno-Torres would remain in the Lee County Jail and placed a bond of more than $1 million for the alleged double-homicide charge. Cleveland.com reported that each murder count had a $500,000 bond, as well as a $20,000 bond on the charge for assault.

Witnesses to the double homicide stated that they could hear Moreno-Torres and his wife Amparo arguing loudly outside of their home at 3511 Ninth St. W. home in Florida before the gunshots were heard ringing out. Ricardo Vaca, a 20-year-old newlywed and neighbor of the Moreno family, had been returning home along with his sister and her boyfriend from a Father’s Day celebration at about 9 p.m. on Saturday when they heard the argument. The sister’s boyfriend advised that they witnessed Moreno-Torres dragging his wife into the garage while she attempted to resist and desperately clung to the doorframe of the couple’s home.

A report from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said that Vaca, who had just been wed on May 29, placed a phone call his father to tell him of the domestic dispute between his neighbors and also that he intended to try to mediate between the fighting couple in order to help the wife who was being hit by her husband. After his father advised against it, Vaca assured him that it would take a few minutes to make sure Amaparo was safe and then leave. The young Florida man then ran over to driveway to try to mediate the domestic dispute, but Ricardo Vaca’s sister said that, as she tried chasing after her brother, an expectant father, she heard multiple shots ring out before she made it close.

The sister’s path was reportedly blocked by a red van, and when she came around to the other side, it was to see her brother and Amparo Moreno lying in the driveway. According to Naples Daily News, he was riddled with gunshot wounds. Those witnesses who were able to view the entire incident said that the man attempting to mediate the domestic dispute was the first one shot in the double homicide before the husband turned the gun on his wife. The suspect then fled the scene on foot.

Vaca’s family tried to get both victims to the hospital, meeting with a medic responding to reports of gunshots fired before they had gone far. Unfortunately, both the attempted hero and the wife in the domestic dispute were pronounced dead by the responders. Both families had known each other for about 15 years. A Florida medical examiner ruled that in the double homicide, gunshot wounds were the cause of death for both Amparo Moreno and Ricardo Vaca.

The suspect was tracked down and arrested by 4:45 p.m. on Sunday evening. Placido Moreno-Torres advised deputies on where he had tossed the gun he used to kill his wife and neighbor who tried to mediate before he was taken to jail.

Nestor Martinez Vaca, one of the victim’s cousins, advised the media that Ricardo Vaca and his wife were expecting a girl.

“She’s going to be a girl, they were happily married and he was an amazing person, always happy and trying to make people smile, funny, a good student and an amazing son. We as a family are devastated.”

[Image via Shutterstock]

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