Florida woman arrested in deadly ambush shooting of Lake County deputy; claimed to work for 'God'

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. - A Florida woman has been arrested on several charges, including first-degree murder, after a Lake County deputy was shot and killed and two others were hurt during an "ambush" at a home near Eustis, officials announced Monday.

Julie Ann Sulpizio, 48, is charged with first-degree premeditated murder of a law enforcement officer, seven counts of attempted murder, felony battery/strangulation, two counts of battery, and battery on a law enforcement officer, according to officials. 

Sheriff Peyton Grinnell said Sulpizio was taken into custody on Monday afternoon at AdventHealth Waterman Hospital in Tavares, where she had been since Friday night for treatment and evaluation. She remains in custody without bond. 

The Lake County deputy who was tragically killed in what has been described as an "ambush" by Sheriff Grinnell was identified over the weekend as Master Deputy Sheriff Bradley Michael Link, 28. The two others who were injured have been identified as Master Deputy Sheriff Harold Howell, 41, and Deputy First Class Stefano Gargano, 28.

"Our sheriff's office family is hurting, and all of you are helping us through this horrific nightmare," Grinnell said during a news conference on Monday.

RELATED: Florida officers gather at procession for fallen Lake County deputy

According to Sheriff Grinnell, deputies initially responded to a 911 call about a disturbance at a home on Brookside Drive. However, during that call, those deputies were directed to another home not far away.

New details released in Lake County ambush shooting: Officials give moment-by-moment account in nearly 40-minute press conference

Deputies found the back door kicked in and heard a disturbance inside the residence. Upon entering the home, deputies were met with "a hail of gunfire," the sheriff said. Deputy Link was struck and trapped inside the home and later died.  

Bill Gladson, State Attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit, was also present at Monday's news conference and said this case is eligible for the death penalty. 

Authorities continue to review all the evidence in the case, including video captured by Deputy Link's body-worn camera, which helped investigators piece together a timeline of the incident.  

Timeline of events that led to shooting of 3 Lake County deputies

Julie Sulpizio reportedly said she was acting ‘under God’s will'

Sheriff Grinnell detailed the incident, starting with a 911 call received just before 8 p.m. on Friday. The caller reported a woman, later identified as Sulpizio, assaulting people and trespassing on their property on Brookside Drive. Sulpizio allegedly struck residents while making religious accusations and proclamations, the sheriff explained.

"The complainant stated she [Sulpizio] was acting religious, accusing them of being sinners, and she knows 'what they did,'" the sheriff explained. "They identified Julie Sulpizio as their neighbor, but Julie states that she is 'Helen, under God's will.'"

Sheriff Grinnell said a deputy arrived at the scene and encountered Sulpizio with her hands concealed behind her back. Despite being ordered to back up, she approached the deputy, prompting him to draw his Taser. Sulpizio walked toward the deputy, which prompted a warning from the deputy.

"During a calm verbal exchange, Julie Sulpizio states that they, meaning the group of people that were present there, were involved in pedophilia," Sheriff Grinnell said. "She again claims to be 'Helen,' and she asked one of the victims that she had battered, 'Who was your God?'"

The sheriff said Sulpizio told the group, "Julie is in heaven."

"She then went on to state, 'You see, the thing is, we needed to trick Lucy,' and we later learned [Lucy] to be a name she calls Lucifer." The sheriff said Sulpizio then pointed to the deputy and said, "You are one of them."

Deputies called for backup after discovering 2 dead dogs

As deputies attempted to arrest Sulpizio, they decided to conduct a welfare check at her home down the street. Upon arrival, they discovered two dead dogs outside the house and an open window with the screen kicked out, Sheriff Grinnell said. Finding this suspicious, they called for backup.

Deputies Link and Howell entered the home through the back entrance, moving through the living room and hallway. Deputy Link went to the left, and Deputy Howell went to the right. According to the sheriff, Deputy Link, with his back turned, was ambushed by Sulpizio's husband, Michael, who was armed and ready, according to the sheriff.

Deputy Link was shot in the back and, despite trying to crawl out, was shot several more times after running out of bullets, the sheriff explained. This was captured on his body camera, providing both audio and video evidence.

"His body-worn camera continuously recorded audio and video from within the residence, facing upward," the sheriff said. 

‘My King will kill all of you’: Woman's chilling statement heard on deputy's bodycam

Michael and their two adopted daughters, Savannah and Cheyenne, were inside the home, with one daughter shouting, "My King will kill all of you! You are Lucifer's children!"

The sheriff indicated religious beliefs heavily influenced the situation. The home contained a stockpile of guns, ammunition, and bottled water, and lacked cell phones, regular phones, or a television, suggesting they were isolated from society. Detectives said they also found what they called "anti-government propaganda" and material from conspiracy theory-related media. 

The SWAT team arrived, and Deputy Gargano, who also entered the laundry room, was shot. His team managed to pull him out of the home. 

Body camera footage from Deputy Link revealed that Michael and his daughters discussed suicide before being found dead with gunshot wounds to their heads, according to the investigation.

Sheriff Grinnell said Sulpizio appeared to show no remorse and was described as "joyful." She was arrested using Deputy Link's handcuffs. She had been under observation in the hospital for the past few days, leading to her arrest.

Neighbors grateful for deputies' heroism

FOX 35 News has learned more about the family that the Lake County Sheriff’s Office says ambushed deputies, killing one and injuring two others.

When horrible things happen, neighbors often say they could never have seen this coming. In the case of the Sulpizio family, people might not have expected something so horrible as this – but they wouldn’t say it came out of nowhere.

"I always found them weird. I never really talked to them," one neighbor told FOX 35 News. "They just give me weird vibes."

That family recorded a video the night of the ambush, showing deputies going up to the Sulpizio family’s home and knocking out a glass window. They called out that they were with the sheriff’s office but didn’t get an answer.

"It just goes to show, you never know," said Dan Williams, who’s lived in the area for 13 years. "All of a sudden, chaos."

"If you got that bad vibe about someone you stay away from them," said another neighbor, Michael Dietiker. "Weird."

Another man who sent FOX 35 a video from outside the property said the same thing – that he got bad vibes from the family.

And many people had violent interactions with the family in the past.

"Like a month and a half ago, they had threatened to shoot my brother for riding the little go-kart down the road," one neighbor said. "[Michael Sulpizio] said like, ‘Oh, like next time I see you riding that thing with your friend, I’m going to put a bullet in both of y’all."

Dietiker witnessed an incident like that as well.

"He chased someone from the road to their house in his truck and was trying to kill that kid."

In another incident within the past couple of months, Dietiker says Michael Sulpizio stopped his truck in the middle of the road to block it off, threatening Dietiker’s fiancée.

"My fiancée is out trying to talk to him because he is screaming in her face, telling her that he's going to shoot my dog in the face."

Dietiker is the one who first called 911 on Friday after he said Julie Sulpizio started attacking his fiancé and a couple of other people.

When deputies showed up, Sheriff Grinnell said Julie Sulpizio was acting erratically, calling herself Helen and God and also saying she was working in the service of God. She said her neighbors were pedophiles and that she hoped to trick Lucifer.

"We needed to trick the evil to come out," the Sheriff says she stated. 

The sheriff said she later admitted she was trying to lure Dietiker and his fiancé to her home so she could kill him.

Who was Master Deputy Sheriff Bradley Michael Link?

The Lake County Sheriff's Office provided a statement on the passing of Master Deputy Link. 

"Master Deputy Link, 28, first became part of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office as a young Explorer. A graduate of Lake Minneola High School in 2015, he served in the Army Reserves prior to being hired as a deputy sheriff by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office in 2017. In October 2019, Master Deputy Link joined our agency as a deputy sheriff, where he quickly became part of our family and faithfully served our citizens with courage and zeal. Brad, as our Sheriff’s Office family knew him, touched the lives of all who were blessed enough to work with him; his contributions and the impact of this loss will not soon be forgotten."

Florida sheriff, police departments react to deadly shooting that left Lake County deputy dead, 2 others hurt

A GoFundMe has been created for Master Deputy Link to help support his loved ones.  A funeral service is planned for Saturday, Aug. 10, at 11 a.m. in Clermont at Real Life Christian Church at 1501 Steve's Rd.

2 Lake County deputies hurt in shooting identified

On Saturday, the Lake County Sheriff's Office also identified the two deputies who were shot and being treated at Central Florida hospitals.

Master Deputy Sheriff Harold Howell

Master Deputy Sheriff Harold Howell, 41, joined the Lake County Sheriff's Office in 2005 and became a K9 deputy in 2011, the sheriff's office said in a news release.

He responded with Master Deputy Link to the house in Eustis and was shot in the arm. He remains in the hospital and is awaiting surgery.

Deputy First Class Stefano Gargano

Deputy First Class Stefano Gargano, 28, was part of the rescue team that responded to the Eustis house to help Master Deputy Link. 

As he entered the house, he and the team "immediately encountered gunfire." He was shot numerous times, the sheriff's office said,

Deputy Gargano remains hospitalized, and authorities are hopeful he will make a full recovery. 

A GoFundMe has been created for Deputy Gargano. 

FloridaCrime and Public Safety