A FLORIDA man has been charged with the brutal killing of a couple after cops discovered evidence linking him to the crime when investigating a motorcycle event.
Terry Aultman, 48, and Brenda Aultman, 55, were found dead on Sunday morning in Daytona Beach.
The two were headed home from Daytona Bike Week on Saturday night when they were attacked.
According to NBC affiliate WESH who first reported the crime, authorities believed it to be a hit and run until they saw that both had slashed throats.
The couple was covered in blood with multiple stab wounds and lacerations.
Authorities initially only had information that the suspect may have been wearing light-colored pants and a backpack.
They used a “massive” amount of surveillance video and released a video to the public on Tuesday before Jean Robert Macean, 32, was finally tracked down.
Macean was arrested at his home, nearly an hour south of Daytona Beach, at 11am on Thursday.
Authorities do not believe this was a robbery, and it is unclear if Macean had a clear motive at this time.
“This is probably one of the most vicious and gruesome incidents I’ve witnessed in my 20 years,” Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young said.
“We can’t rule out that this may be totally random, but if it is random, the person responsible has to be deranged.”
Young tweeted that Macean confessed to the murders last night.
Sara Turner, Brenda Aultman’s daughter described the event as a “nightmare I never expected.”
“I don’t think this will ever feel real,” Turner said. “My mother was my best friend – the most amazing caring, giving loving selfless person in the world.”
The Aultmans’ neighbor, Jesse Dylan, said the two were a happy couple who loved their Daytona Beach home that they purchased six months ago.
“They were loving it,” Dylan said. “He was a responsible guy. They even took bicycles because he was drinking. He left his car, left his motorcycle here. It’s a real shame what happened to them you know.”
Macean is set to make an appearance in court in Orlando.
There is not a set court date at this time, and it is unclear whether Macean will have a lawyer.
Do you have a story for The US Sun team?
Email us at exclusive@the-sun.com or call 212 416 4552.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheSunUS and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunUS
