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Venice man arrested in caregiver shooting case
A tragic case out of Sarasota County is shedding light on the immense toll facing elderly caregivers. Deputies arrested 83-year-old Walter Edgerton after they say he shot and killed his wife in Venice. Investigators say he told them his wife had suffered from Lyme Disease for decades, was recently hospitalized and begged him to make her pain stop. FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon reports.
VENICE, Fla. - An 83-year-old man faces murder charges in Sarasota County after deputies say he shot and killed his wife to end her decades-long pain from Lyme disease and a bleeding ulcer.
Sarasota County caregiver crisis
What we know:
Deputies arrested Walter Edgerton, 83, in Venice following the deadly shooting of his wife.
Investigators said Edgerton told them his wife suffered from Lyme disease for decades, had recently been hospitalized, and begged for her pain to stop.
Edgerton now faces a murder charge.
Walter Edgerton - Courtesy: Sarasota County Sheriff's Office
Senior Friendship Centers support
What they're saying:
Community advocates say family caregivers should never have to handle overwhelming isolation alone.
"They just need to be able to tell their story," said Erin McLeod, president and CEO of Senior Friendship Centers. "Often, when people are in crisis, asking for help is the last-ditch effort and what we want to try to let people know is asking for help should be one of the very first steps they take. Should be picking up the phone and asking for help."
McLeod emphasized that support organizations can provide answers and counseling before a situation turns tragic.
"Sometimes a tragedy like this helps us to ask questions," McLeod said. "What we want family caregivers to know and older adults to know is there is support out there. There is answers to questions. Sometimes life can be so overwhelming as a caregiver and if they’re isolated it can compound that even worse. I think that the message that we really want to convey here is that no one should have to go this alone. There is help out there."
Community helpline options
What you can do:
Senior Friendship Centers reminds families that resources exist throughout Sarasota County.
Struggling caregivers can reach out to local hotlines, request one-on-one counseling, or access community support programs before reaching a point of crisis.
"There are hotlines people can call," McLeod added. "There are organizations like Senior Friendship Centers. We have a caregiver focus here at Senior Friendship Centers through our resource center. We have one-on-one counseling for our caregivers who have reached the max. Caregiver support isn’t just emotional support. Caregiver support is there for family caregivers to get answers and to be exposed to what other people are going through."
Resources available
Dig deeper:
- Senior Friendship Centers/Caregiver Resources — call 941-955-2122 or click here.
- Florida Elder Helpline - call 1-800-96-ELDER (5337)
- 211 Suncoast - Dial 211 for community resources including food, housing, health care, mental-health assistance and other social services.
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - Call or text 988 for someone experiencing an emotional or mental-health crisis, suicidal thoughts or feeling there is no way out.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon from the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, on the investigation and arrest, as well as Senior Friendship Centers President and CEO Erin McLeod.