On the morning of March 24, 2026, a fatal shooting in the parking lot of the Indian River County Main Library in Vero Beach, Florida, claimed the lives of two county employees, including 56-year-old Danny Ooley. Ooley, the assistant director of Public Works for Indian River County, and his colleague, Stacie Mason, a 49-year-old traffic analyst technician, were found deceased from multiple gunshot wounds.
The incident unfolded around 7 a.m.
when Ooley and Mason met in the library's north parking lot. Surveillance footage captured Ooley arriving in his pickup truck, followed shortly by Mason in her SUV. After Mason entered Ooley's vehicle, a man approached the truck and opened fire with what was described as a rifle-style firearm, striking both victims multiple times at close range. Authorities have characterized the double homicide as a "crime of passion."
The investigation quickly identified a person of interest, who was later named as 64-year-old Jesse Scott Ellis, Stacie Mason's husband. Investigators believe Ooley and Mason were in a romantic relationship, which served as the motive for the killings. Ellis and Mason had been married for 13 years and were reportedly in the process of separating.
Following the shooting, Ellis fled the scene in his pickup truck, which was later discovered by police at South Beach Park. A witness reported seeing a man matching Ellis's description walking into the Atlantic Ocean fully clothed. A search for Ellis was launched, but he remains at large. An active warrant has been issued for his arrest on two counts of first-degree murder.
The deaths of Ooley and Mason have been described as a profound loss to the community they served. Ooley had dedicated nearly 25 years of service to the Indian River County Public Works department, where he was a respected leader. The county has been providing grief counseling and support to its employees in the wake of the tragedy. A memorial service was held to honor Ooley's life and long career.
