‘Could not leave him in the water’: Woman who helped rescue swimmer accused of double murder speaks
By Angela Rozier
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VERO BEACH, Florida (WPBF) — A woman visiting Vero Beach said she rushed into the ocean to help a struggling swimmer, only to later learn that investigators believe he is a double homicide suspect.
WPBF 25 News spoke exclusively with the woman, identified only as Belinda, who said she was out for a morning walk when she heard someone screaming for help.
She said she ran into the ocean and told him to get on his back and let the waves carry him. “So, he got on his back, and he said, ‘I’m exhausted, I’m tired,’ and I said, ‘Do it! Get on your back and let the waves carry you, you can do it, come on,'” Belinda said.
The rescue happened on the morning of March 24 near Riomar Beach.
Video released by police shows Belinda stooping beside the man on shore after he made it out of the water. She said he told her he was exhausted, and I would never go out that far again. She also said he told her he was “going to take a long vacation.”
Police now believe that the man is double homicide suspect Jesse Ellis.
Ellis is accused of fatally shooting his estranged wife, Stacie Mason, and Danny Ooley. Both were Indian River County employees who worked for the public works department.
Belinda said she had no idea at the time that the man she helped was a homicide suspect.
She told WPBF that even after learning who he was, she still believes she would have helped him, though she said she would have handled the situation differently and called 911 right away.
“I could not leave him in the water no matter what,” Belinda said. “Everybody is going through something.”
Police are still searching for Ellis. Anyone who spots him is urged to dial 911 immediately.
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