Inset: Aria (left) and Remy Dingwall (GoFundMe). Background: Surveillance footage that reportedly shows Joseph Dingwall (circled in red) outside his home before the murder‑suicide (WESH).
In Florida, a father shot his two young children and then himself, leaving their mother to discover the tragedy.
On Thursday, the Cocoa Police Department held a press conference to confirm the identities of 7‑year‑old Remy Dingwall and 5‑year‑old Aria Dingwall, who Olivia Piccolo found dead on Wednesday at their father’s home in Cocoa, Florida. Police reported that the children’s father, 37‑year‑old Joseph Dingwall, killed Remy and Aria before taking his own life in a murder‑suicide. Chief Evander Collier IV noted that Piccolo attempted to call Dingwall but could not reach him.
Piccolo arrived at Dingwall’s house to collect her children under their custody agreement, only to find the front door slightly open.
After discovering Dingwall and her children dead inside at 12:43 p.m. on Wednesday, Piccolo dialed 911.
Local NBC affiliate WESH interviewed Marcos Garcia, a neighbor across the street from Dingwall. He told the network he heard “two shots” at 12:20 a.m., noting the sound came from across the street. Garcia’s surveillance cameras recorded what police believe shows Dingwall walking around his front yard with a flashlight. The video, obtained by WESH, bears a timestamp of roughly 12:20 a.m.
Collier told the press that no calls reported the gunshots.
When questioned about a possible motive, Collier said the investigation remains ongoing. He added that Dingwall’s home had received “about 11 calls” since 2021, including reports of “suspicious” activity, though he withheld further details.
A family friend launched a GoFundMe page describing Remy and Aria as “siblings, best friends, and each other’s little world.” Another friend created a GiveSendGo fundraiser to cover the children’s funeral costs and provide financial assistance to Piccolo.
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