Louis "Steve" Mamakos, an 85-year-old white male, passed away on January 28, 2019, in Palm Coast, Florida. Born on December 14, 1933, in Washington, DC, he served in the United States Navy during the Korean Conflict from 1953 to 1957. After his military service, he worked for over 20 years with National Geographic in Washington, DC, and later with Electro Mechanical Research (EMR) building spacecraft in Greenbelt, Maryland.
He moved to Palm Coast in 2004 from College Park, Maryland, and was known for his love of woodworking, animals, boating, motorcycles, and photography.
On the day of his death, deputies and paramedics were dispatched to his home after receiving a call at 11:53 a.m. reporting that Mamakos had shot himself. Despite initial signs of life, he succumbed to his injuries shortly after the authorities arrived. The incident was ruled a suicide. Two weeks prior to his death, Mamakos had been held under the Baker Act and taken to AdventHealth Palm Coast due to severe pain that doctors had been unable to manage effectively. He was released from the hospital on January 18, 2019.
There were no arrests, suspects, or litigations related to his death, as it was determined to be a suicide. Mamakos' family, including his wife and son, were present in the home at the time of the incident and were unaware of the presence of the firearm he used. They had previously surrendered other firearms to the Sheriff's Office for safekeeping when Mamakos was Baker Acted. The family expressed their shock and disbelief, stating they did not think he would take such an action.
