LCSO conducts death investigation in Suncoast Estates in North Fort Myers

Lee County Sheriff’s Office conducted a death investigation in the Suncoast Estates area of North Fort Myers Monday.

Investigators with LCSO went to a home in the 7800 block of Bartholomew Drive at about 7:30 a.m. Neighbors we spoke to says they saw investigators at the home as early as 1 a.m.

“My neighbor said the same thing, just cops all day,” said Cole Mckeeman, who lives next-door to the home. “That’s how we knew something was wrong.”

Crime scene tape was seen around a pile of mulch near the home, and investigators were going in and out of its back door. A helicopter was flying over the area as well.

“They had two forensic vans up here,” Emory McGee said. “They have detectives here. They have the deputy sheriffs here, and they’ve been here basically all day.”

A neighbor said the house has been known for illegal activity, and just two weeks ago, several deputies were there. A child is also known to live in the home.

“The day of the raid, they took someone away in handcuffs, which was about a week and a half ago,” Mckeeman said.

Neighbors saw a woman who lives at the home running along Bartholomew Drive early in the morning.

“I don’t know what she was doing, but she was crying about her baby, and then she fell on the ground,” McGee said.

Deputies say the public is not in danger, for neighbors, that doesn’t alleviate their stress.

“I don’t want my family around that,” Mckeeman said. “It just motivates me to get out of here more.”

LCSO has not confirmed the age or gender of the victim. We’re working to find out who died and how, and whether it’s believed to be suspicious. The sheriff’s office says no further information will be given “for a while,” and the victim is protected under Marsy’s Law.