(MARATHON, FLA) — A 39-year-old man who claimed his girlfriend committed suicide has been charged with her death.
Sean Booth Chidester was charged with the death of 38-year-old Daniela Blackburn earlier this week following a month-long investigation into her death.
The Monroe Sheriff’s Office reported that they were called to a home in the 1000 block of Sylvia Avenue on July 14th due to a reported suicide.
Chidester claimed that he was in another room in the home when he heard a gun go off. When he went into the other room, he found Blackburn dead.
Authorities found Blackburn with a bullet wound to her head and a 9mm handgun nearby.
A medical examiner later determined that the bullet wound Blackburn suffered was not consistent with someone who shot themselves. Detectives also found that Blackburn had no history of mental illness or suicidal tendencies.
Chidester is currently in jail on a $1 million bail on the murder charge.
“Thankfully, there are few murders in the Florida Keys, but when they do occur the Sheriff’s Office will always work aggressively and vigilantly to resolve them as quickly as possible,” said Sheriff Rick Ramsay, “I want to thank my staff, the State Attorney’s Office and the Medical Examiner’s Office for their diligent work in resolving this sad case.”