Suicide, other notes released from teens suspected in Windermere cop slaying

Kissimmee police release radio transmissions

WINDERMERE, Fla. – Deputies on Tuesday released handwritten letters, including a suicide note, written by two teens suspected in the slaying of a Windermere police officer.

[READ:  Letters from Goode | Letters from Hollinghurst | AUDIO: Radio transmissions]

Polk County sheriff's deputies said 18-year-old Brandon Goode and 17-year-old Alexandria Hollinghurst, both of Davenport, were found dead early Saturday morning in the bushes near Conroy/Windermere Road after the shooting.  The duo, who had been considered missing and endangered, is suspected of shooting and killing Windermere police Officer Robert German.

In a note from Goode addressed to his "loving parents," he wrote, "I am sorry for the pain and misery I have brought you both, not just now but from the past few years as well."

He also informed his parents in the letter that he was engaged to Hollinghurst.

"Please don't be sad, this is what I want now.  I get to die peacefully with the woman I love, the woman of my dreams, my fiancee (yes, we were engaged!).  I miss you both so much already.  I love you mom.  I love you dad."

In a letter to Hollinghurst, Goode referred to her as Alex Goode and described a way for them to flee to Panama.

"My plan is pretty simple.  Police don't consider you a missing person/runaway till after you've been gone 48 hours, which would give us plenty of time to get to Clearwater.  Then we steal a boat and sail down to Panama, which is a 4-day sail."

Hollinghurst wrote an angry letter to her mother and told her father in a separate note that she was sorry to continually "disappoint" him.

She also wrote a letter to Goode on March 10 and signed it "Mrs. Goode" while creating a list of things they would do together on March 29 and after, ranging from eating at McDonald's to traveling and "be good people, have morals."

Also released with the letters were reports saying that Goode's aunt is a Chicago police officer and advised Goode's mother to not allow deputies to search her house while investigating her son's disappearance.

Goode's mother also told deputies that a gun was missing from her house, but her son didn't have access to it, according to the report. She told deputies she thought her sister took the gun, which was her dad's from war.

Meanwhile, authorities also released radio transmissions from Kissimmee police officers' encounter with Goode and Hollinghurst hours before German was shot and killed.

Police approached the duo at a Kissimmee Walgreens because the officer recognized that they had been reported as missing and endangered.

As the officer was talking to Goode and getting his identification, a second officer was giving information about Goode's car when Goode sped away, nearly running over an officer. A warrant was issued for Goode's arrest for resisting an officer.

Kissimmee police told Local 6 that they did not pursue Goode and Hollinghurst because it is against their policy, which states officers can chase a suspect only if he or she committed a felony.

Instead, KPD asked other police agencies to be on the lookout for the couple and their car.

Goode and Hollinghurst at some point ditched the car at a bank not far from the Walgreens. It's not clear how they ended up in Windermere.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office investigation is ongoing into what events lead up to German, 31, being shot.

Deputies said German asked for officer backup and was shot after stopping to talk to a man and woman who were walking down the street. German was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center by authorities, where he died.

Shortly after officers arrived at the scene they heard gunshots. They later found Goode and Hollinghurst dead. Their official causes of death will be determined by the medical examiner.

Services for German will be held at Northland Church at 530 Dog Track Road in Longwood.  The funeral service will be held Thursday at 10 a.m. and will be open to the public.  A live feed of the service will be streamed on ClickOrlando.com.

Watch Local 6 News and stay with ClickOrlando.com for more on this story.


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