A domestic disturbance at an Ocala condominium complex ended in a multi-state tragedy Tuesday night after a mother and her young child were found shot to death. Police say the suspect, identified as the woman’s estranged husband, later took his own life during a traffic stop in Georgia.
Ocala Police officers arrived at the Marion Springs Condominiums at 3575 SE Ft. King Street around 9:16 p.m. following 911 reports of gunfire. Upon entering the unit, authorities discovered the bodies of 34-year-old Nancy Bacon and her 4-year-old daughter. Both had sustained fatal gunshot wounds.
Eyewitnesses at the scene reported seeing 38-year-old Ralph Bacon leaving the complex in a dark-colored SUV with North Carolina license plates shortly after the shots were heard.
READ: Florida’s “ID Branding” Debate: New Bills Propose Citizenship Labels On State Licenses
Florida authorities issued a regional alert, and license plate readers soon tracked the vehicle traveling north toward the Georgia border.
The chase concluded roughly seven miles north of the state line. Officers with the Kingsland Police Department in Georgia spotted the SUV on I-95 and initiated a traffic stop. As officers approached the vehicle, Ralph Bacon died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside the SUV.
Investigators from both Florida and Georgia are currently processing the two scenes to establish a timeline of the events.
While the Ocala Police Department stated the area around the condominiums is now secure, they are asking anyone with additional information to contact detectives at 352-369-7000 or submit anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers of Marion County.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
