Florida – In a shocking act of violence tied to a bitter estate dispute in Florida, an 81-year-old man, identified as J. Webb, was arrested after allegedly attempting to kill his late ex-wife’s daughters and son-in-law during a tense encounter at her property. The confrontation, driven by a desire for a share of the deceased woman’s estate, escalated into gunfire and nearly claimed multiple lives.
Webb is now facing serious charges including attempted murder and aggravated assault after deputies say he opened fire on family members of his late ex-wife. The incident unfolded just before 1 p.m. Thursday at a home, where Webb’s ex-wife’s heirs had arrived to prepare the property for sale. The ex-couple had reportedly divorced in 1998, and Webb had no legal claim to the home. As the victims—a pair of daughters and a son-in-law—pulled into the driveway, they noticed Webb’s vehicle already parked outside. Suspecting something was wrong, one of the daughters began recording video as they entered the home and called out his name. What they didn’t expect was Webb waiting inside, armed with a revolver.
Upon confronting him, Webb fired a shot into the ceiling, sending the family into a panic. As they fled toward their vehicle, Webb chillingly shouted, “No, don’t move. You got to die first,” according to the arrest affidavit. The daughters and son-in-law jumped into their vehicle and tried to reverse down the driveway to escape. But Webb was already outside, firing multiple rounds at them, striking their car several times. Some bullets hit the engine, disabling the vehicle. Fortunately, no one inside was physically harmed, though the psychological trauma from the near-death experience was severe.
Deputies with the sheriff’s office were called to the scene, and Webb had already fled by the time they arrived. He was later tracked down and arrested without incident. He remains in custody at the county jail, held without bond. In a post-Miranda interview with investigators, Webb admitted to firing his weapon, claiming that the family members had been “harassing” him and threatening him. He stated, “They come in threatening me and I fired a shot in the air, then fired some into the radiator of their car, period.”
However, police quickly determined the victims’ behavior was not threatening. According to the sheriff’s office, the encounter was “non-hostile and non-confrontational,” and Webb’s actions were “imminently dangerous” and showed “a depraved mind without regard for human life.” Captain C. Sims of the sheriff’s office noted how narrowly the victims escaped a potential massacre: “Had those rounds impacted maybe just a couple more inches up, unfortunately, you probably would’ve had a catastrophic incident where multiple victims would have been harmed,” he said.
The tragic and frightening event underscores the potential volatility of estate disputes, especially when mixed with unresolved personal animosities. Though elderly, Webb’s age did not prevent him from carrying out what authorities describe as a deliberate and reckless act of violence. As Captain Sims stated, “There are no age restrictions on people who make poor decisions or try to harm someone.” Webb remains behind bars, facing multiple felony charges. A court date has not yet been publicly released. The victims, though physically unharmed, are left to process the trauma of nearly being killed—by a man who once shared their family.
