Eric Albert Salabirria

Eric Albert Salabirria, a 28-year-old man, was remembered by his twin brother as his "best friend, my other half." In a message filled with anguish, his brother wrote, "Words cant express the emptiness I have or the heartache deep inside me. I do know that i will treasure all the moments we had, every laugh we shared. You were truly a blessing in the family and you will always hold a very special place in my heart." Friends recalled Eric and his girlfriend, Chelsea Lynn Sizemore, as "great people always there with a helping hand." Neither Eric nor Chelsea, a 21-year-old mother, had any criminal record in Florida.

The life they were building together in a North Tampa home was violently ended on the night of February 5, 2014. Sometime between 9:00 and 9:30 p.m., both Eric and Chelsea were killed inside their residence on the 10000 block of N. 24th Street, just a few blocks from Busch Gardens. The attack was brutal, leaving both with what police described as significant "upper body trauma." A friend who had been at the house earlier that evening said everything seemed fine when he left, but mentioned that Eric told him someone else was supposed to stop by. In what may have been a final, desperate act, Eric reportedly sent a text message to a neighbor asking them to come to the house.

It was that neighbor who made the horrific discovery. Around 11:30 p.m., after a 911 call was placed, Tampa Police Department officers arrived at the single-family home. They found Eric and Chelsea deceased inside. Miraculously, the couple's two-year-old daughter was also in the home but was found physically unharmed in a separate room. A neighbor cared for the child until she could be placed with a family member.

The investigation, led by the Tampa Police Department, began immediately. Detectives noted there were no signs of forced entry, leading them to believe the couple likely knew their killer and may have let them into the house. From the outset, police stated that the double homicide did not appear to be a random act of violence, suggesting the victims were targeted. The motive for the murders, however, has never been publicly identified by authorities.

The shocking crime sent ripples of grief through the community, a sorrow amplified by Chelsea's family connection to a local celebrity. Her father was Dave "Flash" Morgan, a well-known and beloved radio personality for WRBQ, "Q-105" FM. He shared his profound heartbreak on social media, writing, "I am living a parents worst nightmare... My child has been taken from me, and I am broken. I pray for her soul and for strength to pull me and my family thru the dark hours ahead." The loss was just as devastating for Eric's family, who lost a son and a cherished twin brother.

In the years since the murders, the case has grown cold, leaving two families without answers or justice. No suspects have ever been publicly named, and no arrests have been made. The investigation into the deaths of Eric Salabirria and Chelsea Sizemore remains open. As of October 2026, their double homicide is still unsolved, a painful open wound for their loved ones and the Tampa community.

Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay is offering a reward of up to $3,000 for information that leads to the identification and arrest of the person or persons responsible for this crime. Anyone with information is urged to call 1-800-873-TIPS (8477), where they can remain anonymous.