Florida couple slashed to death while biking home are identified as killer remains at large
‘If it is totally random, the person responsible has to be deranged,’ police chief says
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A husband and wife who were brutally stabbed and slashed to death as they rode their bikes home have been identified as police offer a $50,000 reward for information leading to the capture of their killer.
Brenda, 48, and Terry Aultman, 55, were found dead of multiple stab wounds and lacerations, including to their throats, on a sidewalk in Daytona Beach early Sunday.
The Daytona Beach Police Department said the couple had attended the city’s Bike Week festivities the night before and were murdered as they pedaled home.
Investigators have not determined a motive for the attack but believe it was random and the killer may have followed the couple home.
The department on Wednesday revealed investigators are seeking a person of interest in the case in a tweet featuring three photos of the man.
Officials said the man is wanted for questioning but is not someone “we’re looking to arrest at this point”, Click Orlando reported.
A $50,000 reward was also offered for information leading to an arrest.
Brenda Aultman’s daughter Sara Turner set up a GoFundMe page to support the “beautiful” couple’s family.
“This whole process is mind-numbing and surreal, and I’m still in denial of the gruesome reality,” Ms Turner wrote in the fundraiser description.
“Nothing will ever be the same again. We’re all broken and destroyed, inside and out. I pray to God they find the suspect, and Justice is served for my beautiful parents. They were the last people on Earth to deserve this, and had so much life ahead of them.”
Ms Turner said her mother and stepfather had just purchased their “dream home” near the beach and had big plans to enjoy all of the outdoor adventures in the area.
Neighbor Jesse Dylan described the couple as “probably two of the best neighbors you could want”.
Brenda Aultman shared a photo of herself with Terry at a Bike Week concert hours before they were killed.
“Omg Robin is so awesome. We look forward to seeing her EVERY event!! Music is wonderful at Main Street. It’s the best!!” she wrote in the caption.
Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young said the bodies were discovered less than a mile from the couple’s home by a passerby who called 911 and said they appeared to have been victims of a hit and run.
“Upon arrival, once we observed the injuries, we quickly realized that this was anything but a hit and run and we noticed the multiple stab wounds and that their throats had been slashed,” Mr Young told WESH.
“So, I gotta be honest with you, this is probably one of the most vicious and gruesome incidents that I’ve witnessed in my 20 years,” he said.
Mr Young said the attack didn’t appear to have been a robbery “based on the valuables left in their possession”.
“No one saw anything, no one heard anything,” he added.
“We can’t make heads or tails of it at this time, but I can tell you we will spare no expense and we will leave no stone unturned to make sure that this community is safe.”
The killings set the entire community on edge as the killer remains at large nearly five days later.
“It’s definitely disturbing that there might be an attacker out there that’s randomly hurting people for no reason,” Susan Park, who lives near the crime scene, told Click Orlando.
“I have mace that I’m carrying around. I’m pretty much no longer walking around the neighborhood by myself.”
Daytona Beach City Commissioner Ken Strickland, who also lives in the neighborhood, vowed to do everything in his power to ensure the person responsible is apprehended.
“This guy if he’s walking, he could have walked over the bridge, he could be over there now. We don’t know where he is but he’s being hunted,” he said.
“We’ve got to get him off the streets. Everybody needs to be able to sleep at night and not worry about who’s outside when they’re carrying trash out to their trash can, walking their dog, or whatever.”