PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A Palm Beach County man faces a first-degree premeditated murder charge after allegedly confessing to killing his girlfriend and barricading himself inside a hotel in downtown West Palm Beach, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies responded to a residence in Loxahatchee on Sept. 4 after receiving reports of a possible shooting. Four separate callers told authorities Todd Wegrich, 53, had called or texted friends and family members confessing to murdering his girlfriend. The callers also reported Wegrich indicated he had fled the residence but refused to tell them where he was going.
When deputies arrived at the scene, they discovered that shots had been fired at the residence and a window of the neighboring residence. Upon entering the home, deputies found a deceased woman just inside the front door who appeared to have suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Authorities positively identified the victim as Wegrich's girlfriend.
Surveillance video from a neighboring residence captured two vehicles leaving the scene at 12:26 p.m. The footage shows a white Volkswagen SUV with a Florida tag registered to Wegrich, pulling into the north side of the driveway and a person exiting and walking into the residence.
Later, a white Mercedes pulls into the south side of the driveway, and a male believed to be Wegrich exits and enters the residence through the garage. At 1 p.m., the garage door opens, and gunshots can be heard on the video. At 1:10 p.m., the male exits and leaves in the white Mercedes.
Multiple individuals who received calls from Wegrich told investigators he confessed to shooting his girlfriend. He also reportedly told them he had left the residence, was armed with a firearm, and was going to commit suicide.
Using cellphone location data, authorities tracked Wegrich's phone to the area of 215 N. Narcissus Ave. in West Palm Beach. West Palm Beach Police officers located his vehicle in a downtown parking garage adjacent to The Ben Collection Hotel. Investigation revealed Wegrich had registered as a guest at the hotel and booked a room on the seventh floor.
During negotiations with law enforcement, Wegrich spoke with officers by phone while barricaded in the hotel room. According to the affidavit, he made multiple confessions during these conversations and "repeatedly commented" about the victim. A West Palm Beach Police officer's body-worn camera captured part of a phone conversation where Wegrich told a female caller he was in a hotel room with a firearm and intended to harm himself.
The standoff continued for several hours with both deputies and hostage negotiators attempting to secure Wegrich's surrender. He was ultimately arrested early Sept. 5 and was taken into custody without incident.
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