Marlene Pizarro, a 40-year-old resident of Lake Wales, Florida, was tragically killed along with her three children in a quadruple shooting on May 2, 2023. The incident occurred at the Sunrise Park apartment complex, where Pizarro lived with her children. The police were called to the scene around 8:50 p.m. and found the four victims with apparent gunshot wounds.
The suspect in the shooting was identified as Al Joseph Stenson, 38, who was Pizarro's boyfriend.
Stenson allegedly shot Pizarro and her children, ages 21, 17, and 11, early Tuesday morning, around 5 a.m. After the shooting, Stenson fled to the Slumberland Motel in Sanford.
A multi-agency effort involving the Lake Wales Police Department, Sanford Police Department, and Seminole County Sheriff's Office led to the location of Stenson at the motel. A standoff ensued, involving crisis negotiation and SWAT teams. During the hours-long standoff, Stenson made statements indicating he would either kill himself or force law enforcement to kill him. Despite attempts to negotiate, the situation escalated, and Stenson was fatally shot by officers after he went for a gun on the ground.
Marlene Pizarro was a special education teacher at Lake Wales High School and was also an entrepreneur and a birth doula. She was remembered by her former professor and colleagues for her passion and commitment to teaching. The community and her family were deeply affected by her death, with grief counselors available at the high school for students and staff.
Following the tragedy, family members and friends held a vigil outside the apartment complex, placing candles and bouquets of flowers and praying for unity. Pizarro's brother, Julian Ramos, expressed that while justice was served, it was not the outcome he had hoped for. The family is raising funds to transport the bodies of the victims to Puerto Rico for burial, as per their mother's wish.
Services for Marlene Pizarro were held on May 10, 2023, at the Oasis Church of Winter Haven, with visitation from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and a service at 7:00 p.m.
