A Florida mother whose family is accused of ambushing law enforcement officers, killing one and injuring two, had sought to lure neighbors who she believed were pedophiles into a fatal trap at her home but was interrupted by authorities, law enforcement officials said Monday.
A search of the family’s home in Eustis, northwest of Orlando, revealed more than 20 high-caliber rifles, shotguns and pistols that had been staged around the living room, Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell said at a news conference.
Authorities also found a stockpile of ammunition, body armor, gas masks, ready-to-eat meals, ghillie (camouflage) suits, anti-government propaganda and media promoting conspiracy theories, Grinnell said.
"This was nothing short of an ambush. The evidence will show that," Bill Gladson,state attorneyfor Florida's Fifth Judicial Circuit, told reporters.
Julie Sulpizio, 48, was arrested on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and other crimes, court records show. She is being held without bail.
Because of the nature of the alleged crime, the case must go before a grand jury within 21 days, Gladson said. Sulpizio's arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 3.
The public defender assigned to represent Sulpizio could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday.
Her husband, Michael Sulpizio, was found dead in the family’s home Friday after, Grinnell said, he fatally shot Lake County Master Deputy Bradley Link, 28, and critically injured a second officer, Deputy First Class Stefano Gargano.
A third officer, Master Deputy Sheriff Harold Howell, was also wounded.
Michael Sulpizio and the couple’s two adult daughters were all found dead on the family’s couch, Grinnell said. The body camera on Link, the fatally injured deputy, who was inside the family’s home when he was shot multiple times, appeared to have captured the Sulpizios taking their own lives, Grinnell added.
The sheriff's office first responded to the scene at 7:45 p.m. Friday, when authorities were told that a woman — later identified as Julie Sulpizio — was assaulting her neighbors, whom she accused of "being sinners," and saying, 'I know what you did,'" Grinnell said.
After an officer arrived, Julie Sulpizio identified herself as "Helen under God's will" and said her neighbors were involved in pedophilia, Grinnell said. One of the neighbors told the officer that Julie Sulpizio had tried to get them to walk to her house, Grinnell said, but that they didn't trust her.
In a later interview with investigators, Sulpizio said she was trying to lure them to her home so her husband could kill them, Grinnell said.
"She was not successful because of our deputies," he said.
A detective investigating the case said at the news conference that investigators found bumper stickers, fliers and handouts promoting anti-government propaganda and conspiracy theories at the home. The detective did not say whether the material is linked to the incident.
In her interview with investigators, the detective said, Sulpizio said that she could “visualize souls” and that it was her job to bring her husband “dark souls.”
After Sulpizio was handcuffed, Grinnell said, deputies tried to conduct a welfare check at her family's nearby home. Officers found two dead dogs in the front yard and a window screen that had been kicked out, he said.
Inside, they saw three people running and believed a burglary or a home invasion may have been in progress, he said.
After roughly an hour, Grinnell said, the deputies announced themselves and failed to reach anyone side. They entered the home through a laundry room, Grinnell said, and Link's body camera captured a man who appeared to be wearing body armor positioned with a rifle on a couch.
The gunman, believed to be Michael Sulpizio, fired several rounds, striking Link in the back, Grinnell said. Howell was hit in the wrist, Grinnell said, and he and other deputies retreated.
When officers tried to negotiate with the Sulpizios for the release of Link's body, Grinnell said, a woman in the home was captured on the deputy's body camera racking her gun and yelling, "My king will kill all of you."
Around 9:30 p.m., a tactical unit entered through the laundry room and was met with a volley of gunfire, Grinnell said. Deputy First Class Stefano Gargano, who had a ballistics shield, was struck with multiple high-caliber rounds through a wall, incapacitating him, Grinnell said.
As other deputies tried to remove him, they were being "actively engaged by suspects," Grinnell added, calling the officers "heroes."
At 11:02 p.m., Grinnell said, two gunshots were heard in quick succession. A third one was heard moments later.
Inside, authorities found the bodies of Michael Sulpizio and the two daughters, Savannah Sulpizio, 23, and Cheyenne Sulpizio, 22, Grinnell said.
Gargano is stable and Howell is expected to make a full recovery. Link was airlifted to a hospital and pronounced dead, Grinnell said.
The sheriff’s office said Link had worked for the department since 2019 and "quickly became part of our family and faithfully served our citizens with courage and zeal."
