Florida woman arrested for ambush murder in killing of deputy, claimed she worked for God
A Florida woman was arrested in connection with what officials describe as an ambush attack that killed one deputy and injured two other deputies.
Julie Ann Sulpizio, 48, is charged with first-degree premeditated murder of a law enforcement officer, seven counts of attempted murder, felony battery/strangulation, two counts of battery and battery on a law enforcement officer.
Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell said at a news conference that Sulpizio was taken into custody on Monday afternoon at a hospital in Tavares, Florida, after being transported there for treatment on Friday night.
Sulpizio remains in custody without bond, the sheriff said.
Master Deputy Sheriff Bradley Michael Link, 28, was killed in the Friday night shooting that Grinnell described as an "ambush." Master Deputy Sheriff Harold Howell, 41, and Deputy First Class Stefano Gargano, 28, were injured in the attack.
Deputies initially responded to a report of a disturbance at a home around 8 p.m. Friday before they were directed to another home near Eustis.
They found the back door kicked in and heard a disturbance inside the home. When they entered the home, deputies were met with gunfire. Link was shot and became trapped inside the home and later succumbed to his injuries.
Grinnell gave a timeline of the events surrounding the Friday shooting. He explained that the caller said a woman, later identified as Sulpizio, was attacking people and trespassing on their property. Sulpizio allegedly hit residents and made religious comments, including accusing them of being sinners.
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"The complainant stated [Sulpizio] was acting religious, accusing them of being sinners, and she knows 'what they did,'" the sheriff said. "They identified Julie Sulpizio as their neighbor, but Julie states that she is 'Helen, under God's will.'"
"During a calm verbal exchange, Julie Sulpizio states that they, meaning the group of people that were present there, were involved in pedophilia," Grinnell added. "She again claims to be 'Helen,' and she asked one of the victims that she had battered, 'Who was your God?'"
In a later interview with investigators, Sulpizio said she was attempting to lure these neighbors to her home, so her husband could kill them, Grinnell said.
"She was not successful because of our deputies," he said.
Grinnell said Sulpizio told the people there that "Julie is in heaven."
"She then went on to state, 'You see, the thing is, we needed to trick Lucy,' and we later learned [Lucy] to be a name she calls Lucifer." The sheriff said, adding that Sulpizio then pointed to the deputy and said, "You are one of them."
When deputies attempted to arrest Sulpizio, they also went to conduct a welfare check at her home down the street. As they arrived at the home, they found two dead dogs outside and an open window with the screen kicked out. The deputies, suspecting this was suspicious, called for backup.
Link and Howell entered the home through the back entrance and went through the living room and hallway when Link, who had his back turned, was ambushed by Sulpizio's husband, Michael, who the sheriff said was armed and ready. Link was shot in the back and was shot several more times as he was attempting to crawl away after running out of ammunition.
The couple's two daughters, Savannah and Cheyenne, were also inside the home, and one was heard shouting, "My King will kill all of you! You are Lucifer's children!"
Link's body camera footage showed that Michael and his daughters discussed suicide before they were all found dead with gunshot wounds to their heads, the sheriff said.
The sheriff said deputies found during a search of the home a stockpile of guns, ammunition and bottled water, but no phones or televisions. The sheriff said "anti-government propaganda" and material from conspiracy theory-related media was also discovered.
Grinnell said Sulpizio appeared to show no remorse and had been under observation in the hospital for the past few days before her arrest.