A Florida mother made a devastating discovery during a scheduled custody exchange, finding her two young children and their father fatally shot inside his Cocoa home, police said.
Olivia Piccolo, 29, called 911 at about 12:40 p.m. Wednesday after arriving at Joseph Dingwall’s residence in Cocoa, roughly 46 miles from Orlando, Cocoa Police Department Chief Evander Collier IV said.
Dingwall, who owned the home and was the children’s father, was also found dead inside, according to Fox 35. Investigators believe he killed the children before taking his own life.
The victims were identified as seven-year-old Remy and his five-year-old sister, Aria, authorities said in what police are treating as an apparent murder-suicide.
Remy was close to celebrating his eighth birthday, according to a GiveSendGo fundraiser.
The fundraising page described Remy and Aria as “two very precious and deeply loved children.”
Police said Piccolo entered the property through a partially open front door and discovered all three bodies inside.
Piccolo told investigators she had attempted to reach Dingwall because it was her scheduled day with the children. When he failed to respond, she went to the home herself.
Olivia Piccolo (center), 29, discovered her two children, seven-year-old Remy (left) and five-year-old Aria (right), dead inside their father’s Cocoa, Florida, home on Wednesday afternoon
Piccolo said she had tried to contact Dingwall because she was due to have the children. After receiving no response, she went to his home, pictured
Authorities have not released a possible motive, and the investigation into the Florida shooting remains active.
A neighbor told WESH 2 that he heard sounds resembling gunfire around 12:20 a.m. Wednesday.
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“Two gunshots. Two clear gunshots, and it was 12.20 a.m., midnight,” Marcos Garcia said, explaining that the noises appeared to come from across the street.
Investigators have not determined whether those sounds came from Dingwall’s home. Chief Collier said there were no 911 calls reported around that time.
Police had responded to the residence 11 times since 2021 for what Collier characterized as “a variety of calls,” including medical incidents and reports of suspicious activity.
The chief said he could not provide further details about those previous police visits.
According to police, footage from a nearby home’s security camera may show Dingwall outside the residence around the time the reported gunshots were heard.
A GoFundMe campaign has been created to support Piccolo and help cover funeral expenses for her children.
“Anyone who knew Olivia, even for a short amount of time, knew about her children. You couldn’t know Olivia without knowing how much Remy and Aria meant to her.
“They were her entire world. Her life revolved around them, and every part of her heart belonged to being their mother,” the fundraiser stated.
Remy was just about to ring in his eighth birthday, according to a GiveSendGo fundraiser. He and his little sister have been remembered as ‘two very precious and deeply loved children’
Footage captured from a neighbor’s security camera appeared to capture Dingwall outside the home around the time shots rang out, according to police
Our News Outlet contacted the Cocoa Police Department for comment.
This is breaking news… updates to follow.
