Suspect in Lehigh Acres double homicide nearly shot neighbor’s sister

Reporter: Corey Lazar
Published: Updated:

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Blood still stains the concrete in the driveway of a Lehigh Acres man accused of shooting and killing his wife and neighbor.

Witnesses say they heard 47-year-old Placido Moreno-Torres arguing with his wife on 9th Street Southwest Saturday night before they heard gun shots. A neighbor, 20-year-old Ricardo Vaca, rushed over to help stop the couple’s argument when he was shot and killed as well, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said.

Vaca’s sister, who did not want to be identified, ran to her brother and that’s when Moreno-Torres came at her.

“I ran to my brother and he was lying on the floor and he was just telling me, trying to tell me to run. He was like ‘Run, run, run. Be careful!” she said. “And the guy pointed the gun to my face and he tried to fire that twice.”

After the gun failed to fire, Moreno-Torres fled. Deputies found him hiding in a law about six miles from the scene the next morning.

Vaca was recently married and his wife is expecting a child in December. Family members said she might have a baby girl.

His accused killer, Moreno-Torres, was ordered by a judge to have no contact with the family of the victims.

“I don’t know if he just snapped, I don’t know, but it’s a terrible tragedy,” Marissa Dupuis said.

Moreno-Torres is being held on more than $1 million bond and his next court date is on July 18.

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