VERO BEACH, Fla. — The body found Wednesday in a wooded area of Vero Beach has been identified as Jesse Scott Ellis, the 64-year-old man suspected of killing two Indian River County employees in March, according to Vero Beach Police Chief David Currey.
Ellis was the prime suspect in the March 24 murders of Danny Ooley and Stacie Ellis Mason, who were gunned down outside the Indian River County Main Library in what investigators called a "crime of passion."
WATCH BELOW: Body found is suspect in Vero Beach double homicide 2 months ago, police confirm
Identification Through Dental Records
Currey confirmed Thursday that Ellis' identity was established through dental records. Evidence at the scene indicated Ellis died by suicide shortly after the double homicide, hanging himself from a small tree in the 2000 block of Cove Drive.
"We did find a belt, and that belt had his initials (JSE) inside the belt (that was attached to the tree)," Currey said during a Thursday afternoon news conference.
The body was discovered Wednesday around noon by a pool worker in an advanced stage of decomposition, consistent with the two-month timeline since the March killings.
WATCH BELOW: Vero Beach police ID body as suspect in double homicide 2 months ago
Hidden Location Delayed Discovery
The police chief explained why Ellis' body remained undiscovered for two months despite extensive searches. The wooded area where Ellis was found sits between two homes on a quiet, dead-end street, obscured by dense vegetation.
"(Ellis) went into a wooded section between two homes at the west side of the road and the property line," Currey said. "There (is) a lot of growth there, large oak tree, palms undergrowth, and you could stand on side of the road, like I did, and not see a thing, so not in the open by any means."
Currey emphasized that extended searches in cases like this are not uncommon, particularly in areas with thick natural cover.
WATCH BELOW: Body found along Cove Drive in Vero Beach
March Double Homicide Details
Ellis and Mason were married for 13 years but were planning to separate or divorce at the time of the killings. Police said Mason and Ooley had been seeing each other for a short period, which investigators believe motivated the attack.
Two first-degree murder warrants had been issued for Ellis following the March 24 shootings outside the library.
WATCH BELOW: Police chief speaks to WPTV about body found along Cove Drive
Failed Ocean Escape Attempt
After the killings, Ellis jumped into the water at South Beach Park and was spotted approximately 900 yards offshore. Fire rescue launched a boat to assist what they believed was a person in distress, unaware that he was the murder suspect.
However, Ellis refused help from rescuers and did not return to shore with them. He later made it back to land with assistance from beachgoers.
Despite the large-scale manhunt that followed, Ellis remained at large until his body was discovered Wednesday.
Why This Matters Now
The resolution of this case brings closure to a community shaken by the public nature of the March violence and the subsequent two-month search for the suspect. The discovery also highlights the challenges law enforcement faces in locating individuals in Florida's dense natural areas, even with extensive search efforts.
"While nothing can undo the pain caused by the senseless act of violence, we hope locating and identifying Ellis provides some measure of closure to those affected," Currey said Thursday.
The Indian River County community can now move forward knowing the suspect will not pose a continued threat, though the families of Ooley and Mason continue to grieve their losses.
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