MOUNT DORA, Fla. – This Mother’s Day weekend is proving to be particularly difficult for the family of a Eustis woman, who was found dead in Mount Dora after her daughter reported her missing.
Lake County officials are now investigating her death as a homicide.
News 6 spoke with her daughter, who is devastated and requested her name not be used.
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“I was trying to call her, but her phone was off. And then I realized maybe something is wrong,” she said.
[Daughter of slain Eustis woman speaks to News 6 in video below]
The daughter reported her mother missing, and what authorities discovered was chilling.
Lake County officials confirmed that 44-year-old Monica Islam’s body was found on May 2 near Scenic Hills Drive and Wolf Branch Road in Mount Dora. Originally from Bangladesh, Islam moved to Eustis in 2021 with her daughter and worked as a cashier in a local convenience store.
Her daughter is currently working with Lake County Sheriff’s detectives to provide them with any clues that may assist in the investigation.
When asked if she had any idea who might be responsible for her mother’s death, she replied, “You know, in my mind, I do, but I can’t tell. I want the police to tell you guys, so I’m going to wait on them.”
When asked if it was someone she knew, she said, “I guess so.”
News 6 also asked, ”Why would somebody do this to your mother?
Islam’s daughter said, “You know, sometimes people do these things for family problems. Maybe my mom was a victim of that.”
According to an email from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the cause of death was determined to be a gunshot wound, and the manner of death is classified as homicide.
Detectives believe that this was not a random act and expect to release additional details as they continue to follow up on potential leads. They also stated that there is no danger to the public.
“I lost everything because she was my everything. I want justice for my mom. That’s all I want,” the daughter expressed.
Lake County Sheriff’s officials have confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and have not provided further information at this time.
A small group gathered on Friday night outside a Shell gas station in Eustis to honor Islam’s life.
During the vigil, her daughter spoke at length about her mother’s kindness and strength.
“She was a very sweet woman,” the daughter said. “You know, she never was like something, people can have problems with her... All I know is she was a very sweet woman and strong woman.”
Community members lit candles in front of the gas station where Islam worked, remembering her as a beloved part of the neighborhood.
“They are pillars of this community,” said Alisha Curtin, a frequent customer. “There are so many people that come into this store on a daily basis and they are always smiling. They are always nice.”
Curtin said she was especially moved by the loss.
“It’s kind of hard to hear your really good friend has lost their mother,” she said. “I’ve lost mine, but I could never imagine her losing her mother in that way.”
Dr. Joshua Douglas, director of victim advocacy and chaplain for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, also attended the vigil. He said the event was a way to stand with the family during an unimaginable time.
“One of the biggest things, all of us know this, when we’re going through the worst moments in our life, everyone can look back and see when someone was just there for you,” Douglas said.
He added that Islam’s daughter has frequently spoken about her mother’s love and the positive memories they shared.
As of Friday, no arrests had been made in the case. Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.