On August 1, 1980, a tragic event unfolded in Holmes Beach, Florida, resulting in the death of Eric Dumois, a 13-year-old boy. Eric, along with his father, Dr. Juan Dumois, 47, and his younger brother, Mark Dumois, 9, were fatally shot by an unknown assailant. The incident occurred at the Kingfish Boat Ramp, where the family had just returned from a fishing trip. The Dumois family, who were of Hispanic descent, were approached by a man on a bicycle who claimed to have injured his ankle and asked for a ride. The man then got into the back seat of their station wagon with the children and opened fire, killing Dr. Juan Dumois and his two sons instantly.
The assailant, described as a white male, then fled the scene on his bicycle. Robert Matzke, a 60-year-old local resident and retired Air Force colonel, witnessed the incident and pursued the suspect to a nearby grocery store. Unfortunately, Matzke was also shot and killed by the gunman. The suspect then loaded his bicycle into a tan-colored vehicle and drove away, leaving the community in shock and mourning.
Despite extensive investigations by the Holmes Beach Police Department and the involvement of the FBI, the case remains unsolved. No arrests have been made, and the identity of the killer is still unknown. The case has been revisited multiple times over the years, with detectives re-examining evidence and following up on new leads, but no significant breakthroughs have been achieved.
The Dumois family tragedy is remembered as one of the most harrowing unsolved cases in the area. The community continues to hope for justice and closure for the victims and their families. The Manatee County Crime Stoppers still encourages anyone with information about the case to come forward, offering anonymity and potential rewards for tips that could lead to an arrest.
