‘Who is your God?’ Disturbing details revealed in fatal ambush of Lake County deputies (2024)

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – A Eustis woman who was taken into custody under the Baker Act following the deadly ambush of Lake County deputies was arrested Monday afternoon on a murder charge, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

The ambush shooting happened Friday night after the sheriff’s office received a 911 call, in which the person asked for deputies to respond to a home along Brookside Drive, deputies said.

Sheriff Peyton Grinnell said that the caller reported a “female in his yard assaulting people that were present and trespassing on the caller’s property.”

Grinnell added that the trespasser — identified as neighbor Julie Jefferson Sulpizio, 48 — began striking the caller’s family.

“The (caller) stated she was acting religious, accusing them of being senators, and she knows what they did...” Grinnell explained. “But Julie states that she is ‘Helen’ under God’s will.”

Just before 8 p.m., a deputy arrived at the scene, and despite being ordered otherwise, Sulpizio began to approach the deputy, according to the sheriff’s office. As a result, the deputy pointed his Taser at Sulpizio, prompting her to take a few steps back.

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

Julie Sulpizio stated to them that ‘Julie is in heaven.’

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She then went on to state, ‘You see, the thing is, we needed to trick Lucy.’ And we later learned to be a name she calls Lucifer. She then points at (the deputy) and states, ‘You are one of them.’”

Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell

One of the victims at the home then asked Sulpizio whether “Michael” was OK, to which Sulpizio responded that he sent her down there. In addition, the victim told deputies that Sulpizio wanted them to walk in front of her toward her house nearby, but the victim didn’t trust her.

However, deputies said Sulpizio continued trying to get the victim to walk to her house with her, and Sulpizio again began walking toward the responding deputy, who in turn flourished his Taser.

“The Taser emits a piercing audible tone and a flashing light,” Grinnell said. “As he points it at Julie, she stated to (the deputy), ‘That’s God’s light,’ and approached him with her arms crossed on her chest, smiling.”

In response, the deputy brought Sulpizio to the ground and placed her in handcuffs.

“She stated, ‘You want to play? You’re just making me madder.’ Julie, on her back, stated, ‘Let’s do this now,’ followed by, ‘I can feel him!’ and yells out, ‘Michael! Gabriel! Timothy! It’s time now to protect my children!’” Grinnell continued.

Two deputies then went to Sulpizio’s home — a short walk away — to perform a well-being check on her husband and two daughters — Michael Sulpizio, 48; Cheyenne Sulpizio, 23; and Savannah Sulpizio, 22.

No one answered the door when the deputies arrived, though they saw three people running within the house, Grinnell said. Two small dogs were also found dead in the front yard.

According to investigators, the deputies then heard a “loud banging” and discovered an open window with the screen kicked out, which sparked concern over the well-being of Michael Sulpizio and the two daughters.

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As a result, the deputies called for backup, believing some kind of home invasion or burglary had taken place.

In addition, investigators interviewing neighbors discovered that Michael Sulpizio a few days prior had allegedly threatened to shoot the neighbor’s children the next time he saw them, Grinnell said.

Just after 9 p.m., four deputies attempted to enter through the rear door at the driveway, announcing their entry, Grinnell added.

“As Master Deputy (Bradley) Link crossed the threshold into the hallway, his body-worn camera captures several frames of what appears to be a male in a black-sleeve T-shirt or body armor positioned with a rifle on the arm of a couch, waiting to ambush deputies,” the sheriff explained.

Investigators reported that the deputies were then met with heavy gunfire, which struck Link in the back. Someone also began shooting at the deputies outside, and another deputy — Master Deputy Sheriff Harold Howell, 41 — was also injured by the gunfire.

Link was immobilized, though the remaining deputies cleared out of the home, Grinnell explained. Investigators tried to negotiate with those inside the home to release Link, but they were refused.

“Master Deputy Link’s body-worn camera continuously recorded audio and video from within the residence facing up toward the ceiling, and at 9:24 p.m., a female yells from within the residence as she racks a firearm and states, ‘My king will kill all of you. You are Lucifer’s children,’” Grinnell said. “This was in response to deputies yelling for Master Deputy Link to crawl to them.”

Afterward, a plan was put in place to rescue Link. According to Grinnell, Deputy First Class Stefano Gargano, 28, led a rescue team inside while using a ballistic shield as cover.

However, Gargano was shot several times through the wall as he moved through the home, causing him to be incapacitated, according to the sheriff’s office. He was ultimately extracted from the home and taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Eventually, a SWAT team was able to get into the home and rescue Link, though he later died from his wounds at the hospital.

Cheyenne Sulpizio and Savannah Sulpizio were also found dead inside the home, having shot themselves in the head, Grinnell said. Michael Sulpizio was also found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head, and he died at the hospital afterward, Grinnell added.

According to the LCSO, Michael Sulpizio, Cheyenne, and Savannah were identified as the shooters in this incident.

Inside the home, investigators found over 20 firearms, stockpiled ammunition, gas masks, body armor, ghillie suits, medical bags, MREs and bottled water, alongside “anti-government propaganda” and “conspiracy-theory-related media,” Grinnell said.

In a later interview with Julie Sulpizio, she told detectives that her name is actually “Helen” and that God speaks through her, Grinnell continued. He added that Julie Sulpizio told them her husband Michael Sulpizio was actually the biblical guardian angel Michael, who obeyed God’s commands through her.

“She stated that she was trying to lure the neighbors to her residence so that Michael could kill them,” Grinnell stated. “She was not successful because of our deputies.”

Sulpizio faces charges of premeditated first-degree murder on a law enforcement officer, seven counts of attempted murder, and four counts of battery. She was arrested around 1:45 p.m. Monday at the AdventHealth Waterman Hospital in Tavares, and she is being held without bond.

Gargano — who was shot in the abdomen area several times and under the arm — underwent his third surgery on Monday, which “went very well,” Grinnell said.

Meanwhile, Howell was shot in the shoulder and is in stable condition, the LCSO said. He is expected to make a full recovery, including regained mobility in his left arm.

A GoFundMe has been set up for Master Deputy Link’s wife and family to help with funeral expenses. If you’d like to donate, it can be found here.

Family members started a GoFundMe to help with Deputy First Class Gargano’s medical expenses. It can be found here.

A GoFundMe has been established to help support Master Deputy Howell and his family. It can be found here.

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