Crime
Husband and Wife Identified After Fatally Shot on Porch in Brindaban Forest subdivision of Okeechobee
Investigators believe the killings were targeted and directly connected to the suspect.
OKEECHOBEE, FL — A tragic act of violence unfolded Sunday afternoon in the Brindaban Forest subdivision of Okeechobee, where a man dressed in black fatally shot two of his neighbors before being killed during a shootout with responding law enforcement officers.
The victims have been identified as Purvin Evans and his wife, Debbie Evans, both longtime residents of Fort Pierce who were spending the weekend at their second home in Okeechobee.
According to family members, the couple was sitting peacefully on their front porch when they were senselessly gunned down.
“This is my second cousin, Purvin Evans,” a relative wrote in a tribute shared on social media. “He and his wife Debbie were gunned down in cold blood yesterday afternoon, sitting on their porch, just minding their own business. Fort Pierce lost two beautiful souls.”
Purvin Evans was well known in the Fort Pierce community for his decades of work in stucco construction. He and his wife had regularly visited their weekend home in Okeechobee, where they found peace away from the city.
According to Chief Deputy Michael Hazellief of the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), deputies responded to a report of gunfire in the Brindaban Forest community around 1:35 p.m. on July 21.
When officers arrived on scene, they were immediately confronted by a male suspect dressed in all black and armed with a long-barreled firearm.
A shootout ensued between the suspect and deputies.
The suspect was struck by return fire and later died at a nearby hospital.
His identity has not yet been publicly released.
Deputies discovered the two victims — believed to be neighbors of the gunman — deceased on the property, both suffering from fatal gunshot wounds.
Investigators believe the killings were targeted and directly connected to the suspect.
Out of an abundance of caution, authorities called in the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad, as there was concern that the suspect may have left explosive devices at the scene. Additional support was provided by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) is leading the investigation into the officer-involved shooting.
As per protocol, the five OCSO deputies involved in the exchange of gunfire have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the FDLE’s investigation.
The Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office will oversee the homicide investigation concerning the deaths of Purvin and Debbie Evans.
Authorities have not yet confirmed a motive for the shooting, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Crime
Former Texas Worship Minister and Christian Musician Jon Sheptock Arrested on Child Sexual Abuse Material Charges
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas — A married Christian musician and former worship minister who once performed at a rally for former President Donald Trump has been arrested on multiple child sexual abuse material (CSAM) charges, authorities confirmed.
According to officials, Jon Sheptock, a former minister at First Montgomery Baptist Church, was taken into custody on September 26 by detectives from the Montgomery County Constable’s Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Unit.
He faces charges of possession and production of child pornography following a detailed investigation into allegations of long-term misconduct.
The arrest was based on testimony from a woman who alleged that Sheptock stole a photograph of her approximately nine years ago, when she was 17 years old.
The victim told investigators that after sending her the image, Sheptock demanded explicit photographs and later sent her a video depicting a violent assault, warning that he “did not want that to happen to her.”
Court records further indicate that Sheptock showed the victim nude images of both adults and minors on his computer.
Investigators allege that the misconduct continued as recently as October 2023, when Sheptock reportedly sent a text message to the victim containing a nude image of young girls.
Before his arrest, Sheptock was widely known as a Christian recording artist and motivational speaker.
His now-deleted website biography stated that he was born without arms and with one leg shorter than the other, yet went on to describe himself as a “thriving Christian recording artist and speaker.” He has been married for 26 years and is the father of three daughters.
In a public statement, First Montgomery Baptist Church confirmed that Sheptock was immediately removed from all ministry responsibilities following his arrest.
The church emphasized that Sheptock did not hold any position involving direct contact with children, and there is no indication that minors associated with the church were involved or affected.
Sheptock gained wider public attention in January 2022, when he performed the national anthem at a rally for then-President Donald Trump, according to The Independent.
If convicted, Sheptock faces a potential prison sentence ranging from two to twenty years.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are encouraging anyone with additional information to contact the Montgomery County Constable’s Office Human Traffic.