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Cheyenne Sulpizio

Age : 23

Gender : Female

Race : White

Date : 08/03/2024

Location : Brookside Drive

City : Eustis

County : Lake

State : Florida

Agency : Lake County Sheriff’s Office

Officer(s) :Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Gunshot

Event : Murder/suicide under police duress

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 08/02/2024, Lake County sheriff’s deputies responded to Brookside Drive in the Orlando Hills neighborhood outside Eustis after residents reported that Michael Sulpizio’s wife, Julie Ann Sulpizio, was trespassing on their property, striking people and making religious accusations against them.
Deputies detained Julie Sulpizio and began investigating statements she made concerning her husband and two adult daughters at the family’s nearby home. Julie told deputies that her family members were inside the residence and made statements about needing to “trick the evil to come out.” Police decided to conduct a welfare check at 38144 Brookside Drive.
Master Deputy Bradley Michael Link and Master Deputy Harold Howell approached the residence shortly after 9 p.m. Deputies found two dead dogs outside, a damaged or open window and indications that someone had forced entry or altered the house. Link and Howell entered through the rear of the residence.
Link’s body-camera footage showed Michael Sulpizio sitting inside the house wearing what appeared to be body armor and holding a rifle. Michael opened fire on the deputies. Bullets struck Link in the back as he faced away from Michael and struck Howell in the arm. Howell returned fire and escaped from the residence while Link remained wounded and trapped inside.
Police established a rescue team to reach Link. Deputy First Class Stefano Gargano entered with the rescue group approximately 20 minutes after the initial shooting. Michael Sulpizio and the two women inside fired repeatedly at the rescue team. Bullets struck Gargano multiple times in his abdomen and arms, forcing the team to withdraw without Link.
Police surrounded the house and attempted to communicate with the people inside. Body-camera and police recordings captured a woman inside shouting religious statements at deputies. Police later reported that Michael Sulpizio and his two adopted daughters, Savannah and Cheyenne Sulpizio, discussed killing themselves while the standoff continued.
Shortly after 11 p.m., police heard three gunshots from inside the residence. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team subsequently entered, recovered Link and found Michael, Savannah and Cheyenne dead from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Michael died from a gunshot wound to the head.
Deputies recovered 22 firearms positioned in the living room, large quantities of ammunition, body armor, gas masks, emergency food, bottled water, anti-government material and conspiracy-related media. Investigators said the firearms and ammunition had been staged throughout the room from which Michael and the two women fired.
Link died from the gunshot wounds inflicted during the initial attack. Howell underwent surgery for the wound to his arm. Gargano underwent several operations after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.
Detectives arrested Julie Sulpizio on 08/05/2024. Prosecutors charged her as a principal in the premeditated murder of Link, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, three counts alleging principal liability for attempted murder of law-enforcement officers and multiple battery offenses. Prosecutors announced their intention to seek the death penalty.
Judges twice found Julie Sulpizio incompetent to stand trial after psychological evaluations documented schizophrenia or schizoaffective illness and psychosis. The state committed her to a treatment facility. Florida officials reported in March 2026 that treatment providers considered her competent, and the court continued conducting competency proceedings during 2026.
Records released in 2026 showed that the daughters’ former stepmother had contacted the Florida Department of Children and Families and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office in 2019. She reported that Michael and Julie isolated the young women, prevented them from maintaining friendships or speaking with neighbors and forced them to wear gas masks outdoors when it rained. The report also accused Michael of physically striking them and teaching them that the world was ending. DCF investigators closed the investigation after reporting that they did not substantiate the allegations.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2024/08/03/lake-county-deputy-id-after-being-killed-in-ambush-attack-2-deputies-hurt-sheriff-says
https://insidelake.com/2024/08/04/suspects-named-in-deputy-ambush
https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/3-suspects-named-after-lake-county-deputy-killed-2-others-injured-shootout