On March 1, 2023, a tragic and violent incident occurred in Canaveral Groves, Florida, resulting in the deaths of four people, including 15-year-old Kiarra Terwilliger. The victims were identified as Kiarra Terwilliger, her mother Constance Terwilliger, 35, her grandmother Glenda Terwilliger, 63, and Michael Watson, 36, who lived in the residence.
The suspect, Domenico Gigante, 36, was the father of Kiarra and had a previous relationship with her mother, Constance.
Gigante had been increasingly frustrated over his strained relationship with Kiarra, who had refused to reconnect with him. According to investigators, this lingering tension led Gigante to leave his Rockledge home after midnight and drive to the victims' residence on Alan Shepard Avenue in Canaveral Groves. There, he broke into the home and shot the victims.
Gigante shot Michael Watson and Constance Terwilliger to death in the living room. He then shot Glenda Terwilliger in the head while she was in bed and killed Kiarra in her bed. Surveillance video captured Gigante's vehicle, a Dodge pickup truck, arriving at the scene, and audio recordings captured the sound of gunfire and a woman screaming. Gigante left the residence at 1:23 a.m. and returned to his home in Rockledge.
The incident was reported when a 9-year-old boy, one of the two uninjured children found in the home, contacted a family friend via video call and described the horrific events. The family friend rushed to the scene and called 911, ensuring the safety of the two children, ages 6 and 9, who were later reunited with other family members.
Gigante was arrested later that day and charged with four counts of premeditated murder and one count of armed burglary while inflicting great bodily harm or death. He is currently being held at the Brevard County Jail without bond. Prosecutors are considering seeking the death penalty due to the severity of the crimes and Gigante's violent past, which includes convictions for animal cruelty and aggravated assault.
Gigante's roommate had informed authorities about Gigante's growing frustration and his statement, "I guess I’m going to go over there and kill them all," made just a day before the incident. When questioned by investigators after being told of his daughter's death, Gigante admitted to shooting Kiarra three times. The case has left the community in shock, with Sheriff Wayne Ivey describing Gigante as an "extremely violent individual" who should never have been on the streets.
