On the afternoon of October 12th, 2016, seventy-year-old Lizzie Ree Bracey was found dead outside her home in Ocala, Florida. The elderly woman, a former nurse’s aide who walked with the assistance of a cane, had been fatally shot. Her killing stunned her family and left investigators with a mystery that would remain unsolved for years.
Lizzie lived at 2775 NW Old Blitchton Road in Ocala, a city in Marion County in central Florida. She shared the residence with her adult son, who was reportedly away from home when the tragedy occurred. During the early afternoon of October 12th, a relative discovered Lizzie lying unresponsive outside the house. Emergency personnel were initially dispatched to what appeared to be a medical emergency, but the circumstances soon took a disturbing turn.
At first, authorities considered the possibility that Lizzie had died from natural causes or an unexpected medical event. However, investigators noticed signs of trauma to her body, prompting police to treat her death as a homicide.
Although early news reports did not specify the cause of death, police subsequently confirmed that she had been shot. The precise circumstances of the attack, including whether Lizzie had been confronted by her assailant or whether anyone witnessed the shooting, have not been publicly established.
Ocala police launched an investigation, examining Lizzie’s home and searching the surrounding property for clues. In the days following the killing, investigators disclosed little about the evidence they had gathered. There were no immediate arrests, and no publicly identified suspect emerged from the initial investigation.
In August 2026, as the tenth anniversary of Lizzie Bracey’s murder approached, the Ocala Police Department renewed its efforts to generate leads. Investigators publicly appealed for information about the shooting, emphasizing that even seemingly insignificant details might help solve the case.
The renewed attention brought Lizzie’s family back into the public spotlight. In an October 13th, 2026, interview with WESH, her niece Martha McCormick-Watson spoke about the frustration of waiting ten years for answers. She described her aunt as a loving and generous woman whose absence continued to be felt throughout the family.
As of November 2026, no arrest or resolution has been publicly reported in connection with her murder.
