Paul McLees, 78, was killed during a violent home invasion at his Winter Haven residence on Laurel Oak Drive on July 9, 2016. According to investigators, a 25-year-old intruder, Ricardo Garcia Gomez, entered the home armed with a large knife and forced Paul to open a safe. Paul retrieved a firearm from the safe and fired at the intruder. During the exchange of gunfire, Paul and Gomez were both found with gunshot wounds in a back bedroom; Paul was pronounced dead at the scene. Mary McLees, 72, was shot twice but escaped to a neighbor’s house and called for help. Gomez was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries and later died after surgery.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said Gomez had a criminal history including arrests for domestic battery, trespassing, DUI, shoplifting, resisting arrest and other offenses. Mary and Paul McLees had been married 53 years and had two children; neighbors described the attack as shocking to a normally quiet neighborhood. Does anyone have information about the events leading up to the invasion or saw activity near Laurel Oak Drive that day?