Rosemary Getz, an 88-year-old woman from Tavares, FL, passed away on March 11, 2016. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, she moved to Orlando in 1953 and later to Lake County in 1998. Rosemary was a long-time volunteer for the Orange County Republican Party and a member of the Mount Dora Sailing Club. Her death was not a natural one; it was the result of a tragic incident involving her longtime companion, Carl Lange.
Carl Lange, an 89-year-old man, was arrested on March 11, 2016, after
admitting to the murder of Rosemary Getz. According to the Tavares Police Department, Lange claimed that the act was part of a suicide pact. He shot Rosemary three times in the head and also killed their terrier, Goldilocks. Despite Lange's claims of a mutual agreement to end their lives, friends and family of Rosemary, who was a devout Catholic and reportedly did not believe in suicide, expressed doubts about the validity of this pact. They described her as happy and healthy, which further complicated the narrative Lange provided.
The investigation revealed that Lange had written letters proclaiming the couple's suicide pact, but the details did not add up. Neighbors and friends were shocked by the incident, describing the couple as extremely nice and ordinary people. Lange, who used a wheelchair almost 24/7, had been struggling with multiple illnesses, which might have contributed to his actions. The police conducted a well-being check at the request of Rosemary's son, Clark Getz, which led to the discovery of the bodies.
Lange was charged with second-degree murder and was held in the Lake County Jail. However, he was found dead in his jail cell on June 9, 2018. The Lake County Sheriff's Office reported that there were no signs of trauma and nothing about his death appeared suspicious. Lange's death brought an end to the legal proceedings related to the case, leaving many questions about the true nature of the events that led to Rosemary Getz's tragic death.
