Florida Beachgoer Rescues Exhausted Swimmer, Later Discovers He's a Fugitive in Double Homicide Case
VERO BEACH, Fla. — What began as a serene morning walk along Riomar Beach last Sunday took a dramatic turn for a Florida woman, who found herself rescuing a distressed swimmer from the Atlantic waves. The gravity of her act of kindness would only become clear hours later, when police identified the man she saved as Jesse Scott Ellis, a 64-year-old fugitive wanted in connection with a double homicide.
The woman, identified by local media as Belinda, was strolling near the water on March 24 when she heard faint cries for help. "I looked and saw someone... in clear distress," Belinda told WPBF 25 News. Without hesitation, she entered the water and instructed the man to float on his back to conserve energy as she guided him to shore.
Video released by the Vero Beach Police Department shows the exhausted man crawling onto the sand with Belinda crouched beside him. In their brief exchange, the swimmer told her he was "exhausted and tired" and remarked, "I think I'm going to take a long vacation." Unbeknownst to Belinda, the comment would soon take on a darker meaning.
Earlier that same morning, around 7 a.m., the bodies of 49-year-old Stacie Mason and 56-year-old Danny Ooley were discovered with multiple gunshot wounds in a library parking lot in Vero Beach. Both were employees of Indian River County's public works department. Police quickly identified Mason's estranged husband, Jesse Scott Ellis, as a person of interest after reviewing surveillance footage.
According to Vero Beach Police Chief David Currey, Ellis and Mason had been in the process of separating and divorcing in recent months, and their marital home was up for sale. Investigators believe Mason and Ooley were romantically involved.
Authorities now believe Ellis attempted to flee via the ocean after the alleged shootings. The Indian River County Sheriff's Office has launched a widespread manhunt, warning the public that Ellis should be considered dangerous and should not be approached.
Reached for comment after learning the swimmer's identity, Belinda expressed no regret over her actions. "I could not leave him in the water no matter what," she stated, adding that she would have called 911 immediately had she known. "Everybody is going through something."
/// Reader Commentary ///
Marcus R., Retired Police Officer, Tampa: "This is precisely why we urge citizens to call authorities first. Her heart was in the right place, but she inadvertently aided a fugitive and potentially put herself in extreme danger. This could have ended very differently."
Chloe B., Lifeguard & Swim Instructor, Miami: "Belinda's instinct to get in and help is what we train for. The ocean doesn't discriminate—a person in distress is a person in distress. Her technique of telling him to float was spot-on and likely saved his life, regardless of who he was."
Gary T., Local Blogger, Vero Beach: "Are you kidding me? She's a hero for saving a life, and now she's getting sideways glances because the guy was a suspect? The system failed to prevent this tragedy and failed to catch him. Don't blame the Good Samaritan for doing what our gutless institutions couldn't."
Dr. Anita L., Forensic Psychologist, Orlando: "The suspect's comment about a 'long vacation' is a classic example of dissociation or escapist fantasy following a traumatic, violent act. It doesn't excuse anything, but it provides a window into the potential psychological state during flight."