A Florida man allegedly fatally shot his transgender partner, who was eight months pregnant, before turning the gun on himself, according to the local sheriff's office.
Riley John Groover, 26, of Winter Haven, Florida, allegedly shot and killed himself after shooting his pregnant fiancé "multiple" times in front of witnesses outside of their home last week, according to a statement from the Polk County Sheriff's Office obtained by Newsweek on Sunday. The victim's unborn baby was "unable to be saved" despite efforts by first responders and medical staff at a nearby hospital, the sheriff's office said.
While the sheriff's office did not release the victim's identity, Groover's mother identified the victim as Camdyn Rider, a 21-year-old transgender man who was eight months pregnant, local outlet WTSP reports.
At roughly 7 p.m. on July 21 outside the home in the Inwood area of Winter Haven, Groover allegedly gunned down Rider in front of multiple witnesses, according to the sheriff's office.
The incident is being considered a "murder-suicide," the sheriff's office confirmed to Newsweek, saying: "At this stage in the investigation it's clear that this is a domestic-related double murder-suicide."
Groover and Rider were engaged and expecting a baby boy, according to the victim's Facebook profile, which included photos and a video shared last month of the couple during the baby's gender reveal. Rider expressed excitement about becoming a parent and marrying Groover in posts on his Facebook account, which showed that he identified as a man.
Rider said in a post in June that they planned to name the baby Oliver John Lee.
"It's crazy to imagine that I'm now gonna be a father, especially to a little boy," Rider posted on June 19. "But man I'm so excited and couldn't be happier, I couldn't be happier to be doing it with you Riley Groover. Thank you for loving me, and thank you for this baby boy!! Oliver John Lee will be loved by many! I can't wait for this journey with you my love. And I can't wait to meet our oli bear."
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, in the statement to Newsweek, referred to the case as a "violent and horrific double murder" that claimed the lives of a 21-year-old and an unborn baby.
"When the suspect became enraged, family members and neighbors did everything they could" to help Rider and get him away from Groover," Judd said. "Please keep this family in your prayers."
Family members told deputies that the couple has argued in the past, and that some of the altercations had turned physical, according to the sheriff's office, which noted that none of those previous incidents were reported to law enforcement.
Groover's mother told WTSP that while the couple loved each other "very much, that their relationship could be "volatile," and the pair sometimes got into heated arguments. She told the outlet that she lived with Groover and Rider at her home on Central Avenue West in Winter Haven and said that the couple often argued over household chores. Groover's mother reportedly said that she believes a fight over work around the house led to the murder-suicide, WTSP reports.
Groover had been previously arrested for aggravated assault and domestic violence in incidents that did not involve Rider, the sheriff's office confirmed to Newsweek.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Maura Zurick is the Newsweek Weekend Night Editor based in Cleveland, Ohio. Her focus is reporting on U.S. national news ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
