New details released in Orange family deaths

Autopsies find officer strangled wife, shot kids and then self

The Customs and Border Protection officer who was found dead with his family at their home near Bithlo last week had strangled his wife to death and shot both his children, before killing himself, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said Friday.

Officials had initially said the officer, 39-year-old Ezequiel

Almodovar III, had fatally shot his entire family, who were found dead in their Corner Glen Drive home Feb. 20.

Authorities continue to investigate the deaths of 38-year-old Marielis Soto and the couple’s kids, Ezequiel “Zeke” Almodovar, 16, and Gabriel “Gabe” Almodovar, 12. It is still not clear when the family died, but the father had not shown up for work for at least two days and the children had not attended school all week. They were found on a Thursday.

A Customs and Border Protec

tion Assistant Port Director had requested a welfare check on the officer Feb. 20 after Ezequiel Almodovar III had not shown up for work in two days at the Jacksonville Port for entry, according to an OCSO incident report released Friday.

The two children had last attended school on Feb. 14, both missing four days of school before their bodies were found, according to Orange County Public Schools spokeswoman Lorena Arais. She declined to comment further on the case or the students. Officials have not given a possible motive for the killings.

Sheriff John Mina said deputies responded to the home about 3 p.m. Thursday after they were asked to conduct a well-being check.

Gabe, a 7th grader, attended Corner Lake Middle School and had just been honored for making straight A’s last quarter, according to the school’s website. He also played on the school’s basketball team.

Zeke was a sophomore at East River High School, where he played on the school’s junior varsity basketball team. Both boys also played in a local AAU basketball league, and their father had helped coach, according to former teammates and coaches.

“The common thread is disbelief,” said Don Martin, Zeke’s AAU basketball coach. “We know the family, we knew the kids.”

On a GoFundMe page for the family, Soto was described as “a dedicated and loving mother, wife, daughter, sister and friend.”

“This unexpected tragedy has shocked not only … our family but, … our community and schools as well,” a family member wrote on the page.