Florida Mother and Her Three Children Found Shot Dead at Home as Boyfriend Flees

A Florida community was left devastated after a mother and her three children were found shot to death inside their apartment in Lake Wales. The killings triggered an urgent manhunt for a suspect who police identified as the woman’s boyfriend. The search ended the following day in a tense police standoff at a motel near Orlando.

The tragedy unfolded on May 2, 2023, at the Sunrise Apartments on Dawnlight Drive in Lake Wales, Florida. The victims were Marlene Pizarro, 40, and her three children: a 21-year-old son, a 17-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old daughter.

According to investigators, the shootings were believed to have occurred early that morning. Police said the suspect, Al Joseph Stenson, 38, allegedly shot the four victims before leaving the apartment at around 5 a.m.

Authorities were not notified until later that evening, when family members discovered the victims and contacted law enforcement. Officers arriving at the scene found all four dead, prompting an investigation into what had happened inside the home.

Police quickly began searching for Stenson, who was identified as Pizarro’s boyfriend. Investigators obtained a warrant charging him with four counts of first-degree murder and worked with other law enforcement agencies to locate him.

The search led detectives to the Slumberland Motel in Sanford, north of Orlando, where Stenson was believed to be staying near his brother. Officers established contact with him by phone while crisis negotiators attempted to persuade him to surrender peacefully.

According to Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma, Stenson made statements suggesting he might kill himself or force officers to kill him. Negotiations continued for hours, and officers eventually persuaded him to leave the motel room and put down a handgun.

However, authorities said Stenson moved back toward the weapon after officers deployed a less-lethal projectile. Four officers then opened fire, killing him at the scene. Officials said they were uncertain whether he had managed to pick up the gun before the shooting.

The deaths sent shockwaves through the Lake Wales community, particularly because the victims were a mother and her children who were known to local residents.

Pizarro worked as an educator, helping students with learning challenges. Former colleagues and professors remembered her as someone deeply committed to teaching and to the children she supported.

Her family was left facing the unimaginable loss of four loved ones. Pizarro’s brother, Julian Ramos, told FOX 13 that his sister had been a source of strength for the family, especially after their father died the previous year.

The tragedy also affected the school community. Grief counselors were made available to students and staff as people struggled to process the deaths of a teacher and her two younger daughters, including an 11-year-old who attended a local school.

Although the suspect died before he could stand trial, authorities’ investigation and the information released during the standoff helped establish the sequence of events leading to his death.

The case remains a heartbreaking reminder of the devastating impact of domestic violence and family homicide. For those who knew Pizarro and her children, the loss was not simply a crime reported in the news, but the sudden disappearance of four lives deeply connected to their community.

Source:  fox13news