Man kills brother, then himself, after argument over borrowing vehicle, Florida cops say

One brother killed another, and then himself, after the two argued about how often one of them was using the other’s vehicle, Florida authorities said.

Investigators with the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office have classified the incident as a murder-suicide.

The mother of the men told deputies her adult sons got into a “heated verbal argument” the morning of Nov. 29 about one of them frequently borrowing the other’s vehicle, according to a Dec. 2 news release from the sheriff’s office.

The 39-year-old man accused of using the car too much killed his brother, then he called 911 to explain what had happened, adding he would wait outside the home in Spring Hill for deputies to arrive, investigators said.

But before first responders got there, he killed himself, according to deputies.

Up to 600 murder-suicides happen each year, according to the FBI. They account for about 1,000 deaths a year.

“Although uncommon, such incidents vary widely in terms of the persons involved, how they are related, and where the crimes take place,” the FBI reported. “Usually, law enforcement personnel deal with murder-suicides involving two people in domestic settings or relationships.”

About 65% of murder-suicides involve intimate partners, officials said, and 81% happen in the home.

Spring Hill is about a 40-mile drive north from Tampa.

This story was originally published December 2, 2024 at 3:55 PM with the headline "Man kills brother, then himself, after argument over borrowing vehicle, Florida cops say."