Lake County

3 coworkers killed in apparent murder-suicide in Tavares, police say

TAVARES, Fla. — Tavares police are investigating what they believe is a double murder-suicide.

Investigators were on the scene of the crime Thursday morning in a neighborhood just off Lake Eustis.

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At about 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Tavares officers said they received an agency assist from the Leesburg Police Department in reference to a wellbeing check in the 300 block of Lakecrest Drive in Tavares.

Leesburg police said they were working a missing/endangered case involving Joseph Mcguirl, 47.

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Police said Mcguirl was making suicidal comments through text. Leesburg detectives said they were able to find Mcguirl’s vehicle GPS data, which showed his vehicle at the corner of Lakecrest and Shorewood Drive.

Leesburg officers said that James Delgiorno, 41, the homeowner of the address Mcguirl’s car was found, and Wendy Higgins, 39, may have also been at the home.

Investigators said Mcguirl, Delgiorno and Higgins work together and were a “no call, no show” at work.

Neighbors told investigators that they heard gunshots just before 3 a.m. Thursday.

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Police said they found a sliding glass door shattered. When they entered the home, they found Delgiorno and Higgins lying in the bed.

Investigators said it appeared that both Delgiorno and Higgins were shot to death while they slept.

Police said they also found Mcguirl, who was on the floor, closest to Ms. Higgin’s side of the bed, with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Officers said there is no clear motive in the case.

Police said there is no threat to the public.

We are currently in the process of working an apparent double murder and suicide. There is absolutely no threat to the...

Posted by Tavares Police Department on Thursday, February 25, 2021

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The investigation is ongoing.

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Jeff Deal

Jeff Deal, WFTV.com

I joined the Eyewitness News team as a reporter in 2006.

Katlyn Brieskorn, WFTV.com

Katlyn Brieskorn is a Digital Assignment Editor at WFTV. She joined Channel 9 in July 2019.