Front Page Detectives
or
Sign in with lockrMail
BREAKING NEWS

Florida Teenager Fatally Shoots Dad, Then Kills Mom in Front of Responding Deputies

'Mentally Unfit' Teen Murders Parents in Florida Home, Injures Officer
Source: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office

Cops were called after the mother called to say her son killed her husband, officials said.

June 18 2024, Published 2:02 p.m. ET

Link to FacebookShare to XShare to FlipboardShare to Email

A Florida teenager fatally shot his mother and father after he was deemed “mentally unfit” and had his guns taken away, officials said.

Around 11 p.m. on June 15, deputies were called by the mother, 48-year-old Rebecca Ann Themelis, who told them that her son, 19-year-old Christos Alexander Themelis, had just shot his father, 51-year-old Christos Byron Themelis, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

Article continues below advertisement

During the call, dispatchers could hear gunshots in the background. Deputies arrived at the home in Tampa within three minutes and encountered the mother outside.

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said, “As they start to dialogue with the mother, … they see our suspect. Our bad guy walks up behind the mom and shoots his own mother in the back of the head.”

Deputies and Themelis exchanged gunfire, with both the suspect and Deputy Shane McGough getting hit.

The teen crawled back inside the house while deputies quickly attended to the down deputy, getting him away from the crime scene and to a hospital. Chronister said McGough was hit in the leg below the knee and was later listed in stable condition.

MORE ON:
Florida
Article continues below advertisement

A SWAT team responded to the home, and deputies first sent in a robot, which encountered the body of Christopher Byron Themelis and was not able to get any further inside. So, the SWAT team went inside and found Christopher Alexander Themelis dead, authorities said.

According to police, Themelis lived at the home with his parents and deputies had responded to the home on 10 previous occasions, most for mental health issues and violence against the parents.

Never miss a story — sign up for the Front Page Detectives newsletter. Be on the scene the moment news breaks.

Chronister said the most recent incident was in March and a risk protection order had been issued, with deputies taking away the teen’s guns.

Officials said they would be investigating where a breakdown occurred that put guns back into the hands of Themelis. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will also be investigating the use of deadly force by officers, as is standard procedure.

Advertisement

Become a Front Page Detective

Sign up to receive breaking
Front Page Detectives
news and exclusive investigations.

More Stories

Opt-out of personalized ads

© Copyright 2024 FRONT PAGE DETECTIVES™️. A DIVISION OF MYSTIFY ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK INC. FRONT PAGE DETECTIVES is a registered trademark. All rights reserved. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy and Cookies Policy. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services. Offers may be subject to change without notice.