Wife of triple murder suspect may have been dead for months, deputies say

PORT RICHEY, Fla. (FOX 13) - Investigators in Pasco County have confirmed that a body found at a home in Port Richey last week is indeed the missing wife of a triple-murder suspect.  

Detectives announced Tuesday that Jamie Ivancic’s body was found at the Norwood Avenue home. Forensic crews began digging at the home after 25-year-old Shelby John Nealy was arrested for the death of three of his in-laws in Tarpon Springs.

"I hope justice is served. In fact, if they convict Shelby of these crimes I think he should pay the ultimate punishment," said Jamie's uncle, James Zindroski. "I don't think what he did can ever be forgiven. I mean, that's between him and God."

Neighbors told FOX 13 that Nealy had rented the home with his wife and children.

Jamie’s father, 71-year-old Richard Ivancic, her mother, 59-year-old Laura, were found murdered in their Tarpon Springs home on New Year’s Day. Their live-in son, 25-year-old Nicholas, was also killed there.

"I imagine next holiday comes around and they're not there, I think then some of the realizations will probably start setting in then," said Zindroski, who is Laura Ivancic's brother.

Officers found the three victims after being called to the home for a welfare check. Investigators said the bodies were in a state of "advanced decomposition" and three dogs – Buddy, Boomer, and Bailey –were also found dead amid an “extensive” crime scene.

At the time, investigators issued an alert for Jamie, fearing that she was the victim of foul play.

Tuesday, they confirmed that she had been killed, the victim of unspecified blunt force trauma.  She may have been dead for up to a year, explained Col. Jeff Harrington, the chief deputy.

Harrington said Nealy had been lying to Jamie's loved ones when they would try to contact her.

"He was making statements to the family that she was unavailable and then, perhaps, he was communicating through different mechanisms to pose as her. That's part of the investigation at this point, to confirm whether that did or did not occur," he said, adding investigators are trying to determine a motive, but believe Jamie told loved ones she planned to leave Nealy. "What we're going to have to do is try to backtrack what some of the rationale or the incentive to do this, but at this point, we just don't know."

Deputies plan to charge Nealy, who also went by Shelby Svensen, in connection with her murder, Harrington added. Nealy was arrested last week in Ohio.

Zindroski said Jamie's children, ages 3 and 1, are in the care of child welfare officials in Ohio. Family members are planning to try to adopt them.