INVERNESS, Fla. — On Thanksgiving Day, Citrus County deputies found a man's body in the trunk of a car and a homeowner unresponsive with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the stomach. That man has died from his injuries.
Additionally, deputies have reported that the body investigators found in the trunk, that of 67-year-old James Banks, had been dismembered by the time it was found.
Law enforcement initially discovered the body on Thursday as they responded to a call saying that a murder had potentially taken place at a home in Inverness.
A new statement from the Citrus County Sheriff's Office said that deputies saw gruesome signs of a violent crime outside the house, including a large butcher knife on the ground, blood, and drag marks.
When deputies entered the house, they found the suspect, 75-year-old Jonathan Dimick Sr., sitting in his living room, alive but unresponsive having apparently shot himself in the stomach.
First responders gave emergency medical treatment to Dimick before transporting him to the hospital, where he eventually died from his wounds.
It was upon further investigation that deputies found Banks' car with his dismembered body in the trunk.
"The scene our deputies responded to was absolutely shocking. It is rare that a case this horrific occurs in Citrus County, but this is what we prepare for," said Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast, "It is truly unfortunate that our suspect will never be prosecuted for this brutal crime. However, thanks to the caller's courage and our team's quick response, Mr. Banks' family can begin their grieving process with the knowledge that no one will ever again suffer by the hands of Mr. Dimick."