On the night of September 30, 2026, a domestic argument in a quiet Palm Coast, Florida, home ended in the death of Dawn Estrella, a 47-year-old woman. She was killed by her husband in what the local sheriff later described as a planned and senseless act of violence. The couple had been together for nine years and had married in March 2024, but their relationship was troubled, and they were in the process of separating.
That Wednesday evening, multiple 911 calls reporting a shooting sent
deputies from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office racing to a residence on Weyanoke Lane in the city's W-Section. The first call came in at 10:18 p.m., and deputies arrived within five minutes. One caller had been on the phone with someone inside the house and heard screaming and gunshots. Another reported that a person in the home was hiding in a room, afraid to come out.
Inside the home, deputies made a tragic discovery. They found Dawn’s husband, 55-year-old Rakim-Shakur Brooks, deceased in the garage from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. In a bedroom, they located Dawn Estrella lying on a bed with multiple gunshot wounds. Deputies immediately began life-saving measures, but her injuries were too severe. Paramedics from Flagler County Fire Rescue pronounced her dead at the scene at 10:34 p.m.
Two other family members were present in the house during the horrific event: Dawn's 19-year-old daughter and her 68-year-old mother. Both were physically unharmed but deeply distraught. The daughter later told detectives she heard her mother and Brooks arguing loudly, a sound that was soon followed by numerous gunshots. Witnesses informed investigators that the couple had a history of arguing and drinking.
The investigation by the Flagler County Sheriff's Office Major Case Unit quickly pointed to a premeditated murder-suicide. During a search of Brooks's car, detectives found a one-page, handwritten note. Sheriff Rick Staly stated at a press conference that the note served as a confession and indicated that Brooks had planned the killing and his own suicide, a detail that distinguished it from more spontaneous acts of violence. The weapon used was a 9mm SCCY firearm that had not been reported stolen.
Sheriff Staly revealed that Brooks, who was also known as Rakim-Shakur Khalil-Abdullah or David Brooks, was a convicted felon with an extensive and violent criminal history. He had 17 prior arrests for offenses including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, robbery with a firearm, domestic battery, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. His record included eight felony convictions and six incarcerations in state prison, making it illegal for him to possess a gun. An investigation began to trace how he obtained the weapon.
Deputies had been called to the couple's home 14 times since 2021 for various issues, including domestic disputes and suicidal threats. "This guy had a lengthy and violent history, but no amount of anger justifies taking someone else’s life," Sheriff Staly said. "I again want to emphasize that domestic violence has no place in our community. If you are in a violent or caustic relationship, I ask you to reach out for help. Reaching out may just save your life.” The case was the second domestic-related murder-suicide investigated by the sheriff's office in just a few weeks. As of October 2026, the case was closed with the death of the primary suspect.
