St. Cloud murder suspect likely dead after SWAT standoff, deputies say

Suicide suspected

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – A man believed to be the suspect in a fatal shooting was found dead in a Kissimmee home Tuesday, bringing a SWAT standoff to an end, according to law enforcement officials.

Officers from the St. Cloud Police Department responded to a residence on Sunset Drive around 4 p.m. for a well-being check because Rafael Primera, who was wanted in connection with a shooting that left a man dead and his estranged wife injured, was known to live at the home.

While officers were investigating outside the home, they saw a screen pulled off a window and then heard what sounded like a gunshot, St. Cloud police Sgt. Frankie De La Rosa said. At that point, a the Osceola County Sheriff's Office was called in along with a SWAT team.

When authorities eventually entered the home, they said they found a man dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

"There's a high probability that it's going to be (Primera), we just have to confirm his identity with the medical examiner's office," De La Rosa said.

Osceola County sheriff's office Maj. Jacob Ruiz said that although the investigation is still in its early stages, it appears the man inside the home turned the gun on himself when he realized that authorities were closing in on him.

Primera is accused of shooting his estranged wife, with whom he has two children in common, and a man she was in a romantic relationship with Sunday afternoon at a home on Cross Creek Court. The man died as a result of his injuries and Primera's wife was taken to an area hospital in critical condition.

"I'm hoping once we do get a positive ID that this does bring some closure to the (victim's) family and make them feel a little more safe," De La Rosa said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.


Recommended Videos