An eighth Broward County sheriff’s deputy has been placed on leave as part of the on-going investigation into failures that led to the killings of three people in Tamarac last week.
An eighth Broward County sheriff’s deputy has been placed on leave as part of the on-going investigation into failures that led to the killings of three people in Tamarac last week.
Deputy Raul Ortiz, the Broward sheriff’s deputy who Mary Gingles complained did not return her calls and email after she found a tracking device on her car in October, was placed on paid administrative leave Monday, the sheriff’s office told NBC6 on Wednesday.
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TRAGEDY IN TAMARAC
Gingles, her father, David Ponzer, and their neighbor, Andrew Ferrin, were allegedly murdered by her husband, Nathan Gingles, as he kidnapped their four-year-old daughter on Feb. 16.
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Sheriff Gregory Tony, who conceded Nathan Gingles could have been arrested based on the evidence his wife submitted with her complaint about the tracker, suspended seven deputies within days of the triple homicide.
And he took other action effective at 5 p.m. Wednesday, demoting Jeremiah Cooper, the captain who was executive officer over the Tamarac district since 2021, to the low rank of deputy, BSO said.
The department is not commenting in further detail on their findings until the investigation is complete.
Nathan Gingles is facing multiple charges including three counts of murder in the killings.
His 4-year-old daughter was found safe after an Amber Alert was issued, though authorities said she witnessed the killings of her mother, grandfather and Ferrin.
Nathan and Mary Gingles were said to be going through a contentious divorce at the time of the murders.
