Lynn Michele Bender, a 53-year-old white female from Nocatee, FL, was tragically found dead on May 11, 2019, in what was determined to be a murder-suicide. The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office identified the suspect as her 60-year-old former boyfriend, Simon Patrick Hanley. According to the Medical Examiner’s Office, Bender was shot and killed by Hanley, who then committed suicide. The bodies were discovered by friends who had been unable to reach Bender and went to check on her at her home on Southern Oak Drive.
Bender and Hanley had a tumultuous relationship that began in November 2017 and ended in August 2018. Following their breakup, Bender reported Hanley for harassment, leading to his arrest in December 2018 for stalking. Hanley had sent Bender numerous unwanted packages, emails, calls, and even a golf cart, which she returned. Bender had expressed fear for her life, stating that Hanley was capable of killing her due to his persistent actions. Despite a judge ordering a GPS tracking system for Hanley, the State Attorney's Office dropped the charges. Bender subsequently filed an injunction for protection against stalking, which was approved in December 2018 and set to expire in 2020.
The tragic events culminated in the murder-suicide, with Bender's death being ruled a homicide. The investigation revealed that Bender had been living in fear of Hanley, who had continued to harass her despite legal actions taken against him. The case highlights the severe consequences of stalking and the challenges faced by victims in obtaining protection from their harassers.
