Stacy Petrocelli, 35, of Merritt Island, Florida, died on July 5, 2017, after being struck by a gunshot at her home on Loring Street. She and her husband, Roger Petrocelli, had returned from a Fourth of July party; deputies say he had been drinking and using marijuana at the gathering. A neighbor’s early-morning disturbance call led deputies to an unsecured residence with blood inside, and Cape Canaveral Hospital later notified the Sheriff’s Office of a gunshot victim who was identified as Stacy Petrocelli. She was transported to the hospital and pronounced dead.

Roger Petrocelli, 36 at the time, was arrested and charged with manslaughter with a firearm. Authorities reported the couple had not been fighting and that Roger Petrocelli was attempting to fix a malfunctioning gun when it discharged. The couple’s two children, aged 14 and 11, were in the apartment during the incident, though it is unclear whether they saw the shooting. The Sheriff’s Office classified the case as manslaughter on the basis that no intent to kill was found and asked anyone with information to come forward.

Did anyone in Merritt Island or at the July 4th gathering see details that could clarify how the firearm discharged?