Four weeks after a tragic double homicide shook the Vero Beach community, local authorities continue their search for the suspected gunman. The incident, which took place near the Indian River County Main Library, has left residents seeking answers as investigators piece together a complex timeline of events.
The Incident and Investigation
On the morning of March 24, Vero Beach Police responded to a fatal shooting involving two veteran Indian River County employees. Authorities accuse 64-year-old Jesse Ellis of executing his wife, 49-year-old Stacie Mason, and her co-worker, 56-year-old Danny Ooley. Both victims were discovered inside Ooley’s pickup truck. Crime scene investigators recovered an AR-15 style .223-caliber rifle and approximately 21 cartridge casings at the location.
Vero Beach Police Chief David Currey indicated that the tragedy appears to have been driven by a domestic dispute. Interviews with county employees suggested that Mason and Ooley had been spending time together. Amidst discussions of a potential divorce and the sale of their shared home, Ellis had recently hired a private investigator to confirm his wife’s suspected relationship.
The Search at South Beach Park
Following the shooting, the manhunt quickly shifted to the Vero Beach barrier island. At approximately 12:45 p.m. on the day of the murders, police located Ellis’s abandoned pickup truck at South Beach Park. Inside the vehicle, officers discovered several pieces of key evidence:
- Wet clothing
- An empty firearm holster
- A .380-caliber magazine
- Documents indicating a clear intention by the suspect to commit self-harm
As the investigation unfolded, authorities learned of a bizarre encounter that occurred earlier that same morning. Rescue personnel reported speaking with a man—now believed to be Ellis—swimming roughly a quarter to a half-mile offshore in the ocean. The man claimed to be a deep-water swimmer and actively refused assistance. Police believe he eventually returned to shore with the help of bystanders and walked south, potentially reaching his truck just before authorities discovered it. A photograph taken on the beach around 11:20 a.m. captured a man matching this description.
Current Status of the Manhunt
As of late April, active first-degree murder warrants remain out for Jesse Ellis. The Vero Beach Police Department is awaiting digital evidence from pending search warrants and recently deployed drones to continue scouring the local coastline.
While the possibility remains that Ellis is actively evading law enforcement, authorities and those close to the suspect strongly suspect a different outcome. Chief Currey noted that the probability of Ellis being dead is fairly high.
“We believe, and we talked to his daughters, we talked to his closest friend and friends, and they feel that he is most likely deceased because they feel he could not face himself or his grandchildren or family.”
Until conclusive evidence is found, the Vero Beach Police Department will maintain the active warrants. The local community remains vigilant, trusting that whether the suspect is deceased or on the run, the diligent work of Indian River County law enforcement will ultimately bring closure to this devastating case.
