Orange County homicide leaves one man dead

Orange County Sheriff's Office investigating

ORLANDO, Fla. – A homicide investigation is underway after a man was found dead in Apopka early Sunday morning, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies responded to a call in the area of Marden Road and Marden Meadows Drive in Apopka at 4:20 a.m. Sunday, a news release said.

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The deputies found 47-year-old Elias Bratcher dead at the scene; the cause of death is unknown but is being investigated as a homicide, officials said. 

News 6 saw deputies focusing their investigation on a green vehicle parked on the side of the road. There were several bullet holes in the driver's side window.

News 6 also counted more than a dozen evidence markers on the scene.

Neighbors said the homicide investigation comes days after deputies investigated a stabbing in a nearby apartment complex. The sheriff's office said a woman was hospitalized Friday. Authorities said Monday the incidents don't appear to be related.

Investigators have not identified a suspect, but believe the person or people responsible knew the Bratcher.

Jazz Urena lives in the apartment complex. She said the area is usually quiet, but she can't help but feel uneasy after these two crimes happened just days apart.

"It's like two and two together. Somebody got stabbed and now somebody got shot. It's like, let me just stay in my house for the rest of the weekend until I have to go to work," Urena said.

It's unclear if the stabbing and homicide are related. 

Stay with News 6 online and on-air for any updates to this story.


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