PALM BAY, Fla. – For the first time through the lens of police body cameras, we’re seeing the teenager accused of killing her mother and her mother’s young boyfriend.
In 2024, police say 16-year-old Julia Egler reached a boiling point over her mom’s disapproval of her changing genders and over her mom, Kelley McCollom, dating a man just six years older than her, Matthew Szejnrok.
This week, police gave your Palm Bay Community Correspondent James Sparvero video from the responding officers’ perspectives.
[BELOW: 16-year-old Florida girl shot, killed her mom, mom’s boyfriend, police say]
“Are you OK? Are you bleeding?” the first officer to meet Egler at her front door asked.
“No, I’m fine,” Egler answered.
“Who’s bleeding?” the officer followed up with her.
“My mom and her boyfriend,” the teen answered.
The officer then asked Egler why the rear door to her house was smashed, and she said, “Someone came in.”
Police took Julia to the driveway of the house, where a detective began asking her questions.
“I heard, like, loud banging,” Egler continued, describing the break-in that police said was a lie.
“We want justice for your mom and her boyfriend and figure out who did this and why,” the detective told the girl.
[BELOW: Listen to the 911 call released by Palm Bay police]
The truth of why, according to police, wasn’t revealed until interviewing Egler at the station.
Police didn’t give Sparvero video of a confession, but two years ago, they said McCollum didn’t accept that her daughter wanted to be a boy.
In the body cam, Julia first mentioned there was conflict with her mom when she was still at the house.
“Me and my mom used to argue a lot,” she said. “I should have told her I loved her.”
Police also said Egler didn’t accept that her 38-year-old mom was dating Szejnrok because he was just 22.
Through the questioning at the scene, the detective determined Egler knew how to use a gun.
Police said Egler shot her mom first.
Then, she turned her mom’s .38 special on Szejnrok, whom she also stabbed.
Egler is still just 17 years old now, but prosecutors said they will try her as an adult.
The state attorney’s office, though, said she will not be facing the death penalty on her two counts of first-degree murder.
Stick with News 6 and ClickOrlando.com for updates to the prosecution.