Woman indicted in fatal ambush of Fla. deputies, may face death penalty

By Silas Morgan
Orlando Sentinel

EUSTIS, Fla. — The mother arrested in the horrific ambush that killed a Lake County Sheriff’s deputy was indicted Monday on multiple charges and may face the death penalty.

Trending

K-9

Ore. K-9 killed during last shift before retirement

K-9 Kylo was killed during an attempt to arrest a suspect, who also died during the incident; he had served with the Portland Police Bureau since 2020

September 25, 2026 10:02 AM

Pursuit

Video: Carjacker skids across lanes, flees in reverse as multiple PITs destroy vehicle during pursuit

The driver, who had escaped a South Florida hospital after an involuntary mental health hold, kept fleeing in spite of multiple PIT maneuvers before being nabbed by state troopers

September 25, 2026 11:17 AM

LAPD

Jury awards $11M in lawsuit filed by family of man who ran at LAPD officers with knife before OIS

The suit claimed the officers “should have recognized” that the man was in the midst of a crisis and that he did not pose a real threat to officers because of his small stature

September 25, 2026 01:40 PM

Command Staff - Chiefs / Sheriffs

Fla. sheriff calls fire department split a ‘betrayal’ after county vote

Sheriff Gregory Tony criticized Broward County’s decision to remove Fire Rescue from his agency after 2028, as years of disputes over funding and oversight come to a head

September 25, 2026 12:18 PM

Julie Ann Sulpizio, 48, was charged by a grand jury with being a principal to the first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer, which is punishable by execution. Under Florida law, principals to a crime are people who aided or abetted in its commission and can be punished as if they committed the crime themselves.

Prosecutors have not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty, according to a press release from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

On Aug. 2, Sulpizio, who claimed to be inspired by God, attempted to lure several residents of her Eustis neighborhood whom she considered sinners into her family’s home so her husband, Michael, and daughters Cheyenne and Savannah could kill them, as she later admitted to deputies.

She attacked several neighbors at their own homes nearby, choking one and intending that they would follow her back to the Sulpizio home. When the neighbors called deputies, Julie Ann Sulpizio attempted to lure both the neighbors and deputies into her home, police say, but instead she was arrested and taken to a hospital for a mental health evaluation.

Late, when the deputies went into the Sulpizio home to check on the family, Michael Sulpizio and the daughters opened fire, leading to a standoff before eventually killing themselves. Deputy Bradley Michael Link was killed and deputies Harold Howell and Stefano Gargano were wounded.

In her later interview, Julie Ann made additional disturbing revelations. She told deputies she shot and killed her two dogs because they were vessels for “Lucy,” short for Lucifer, the devil; said she believes her husband is the biblical angel Michael; and claimed God is speaking through her.

Police found conspiracy theory-related materials in the Sulpizio home, they said.

In addition to the murder charge, Julie Ann Sulpizio has also been charged with three counts of being a principal to the attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer, conspiracy to commit murder in the first-degree, battery on a law enforcement officer and three counts of battery.

—

©2024 Orlando Sentinel. Visit orlandosentinel.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.