HERNANDO COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – The investigation into a missing person’s case has now turned into a double homicide, with two murder suspects in custody.
On May 12, the family of 62-year-old Jamie Macdonald reported to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) that she had gone missing.
Deputies say Jamie’s family had not seen nor heard from her for about two weeks when they went to authorities.
After a few days of preliminary investigations, HCSO labeled 32-year-old Luequita Sclesky and her husband, 38-year-old Duane David Sclesky, as prime suspects in Macdonald’s disappearance.
The Investigation Timeline
On May 20, the HCSO contacted the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) for assistance with the case. They wanted to interview the husband-and-wife duo at their Citrus County residence at 3077 West Tanager Court in Lecanto.
During the interview, HCSO deputies say Luequita and Duane provided various contradictory accounts of Macdonald’s whereabouts.
Deputies from both agencies say evidence from the interview led to a wooded area within Hernando County.
There, they located a dead person that wasn’t Jamie. It was a man later identified as 68-year-old Kenneth Zickendrath.
Deputies believe Zickendrath had been dead for more than a year. But, was never reported missing to either agency.
As the search for Macdonald continued, HCSO confirmed that the Sclesky’s were using both Zickendrath’s and Macdonald’s bank accounts at various locations across Citrus and Hernando Counties.
On June 14, HCSO established probable cause and arrested Luequita Sclesky for fraud and Duane Sclesky for a traffic infraction and separate drug offenses.
On that same day, information received from outside sources led detectives from both agencies to a creek in Homosassa.
Detectives say they located a second body in the creek that was later identified as Macdonald.
HCSO deputies interviewed the Sclesky’s after Macdonald’s body was found and arrested them.
Charges: Luequita Sclesky
Hernando County
- Principle to 1st Degree Murder
- Misuse of Personal Identification of a Deceased person — 75 counts
- Fraudulent use of a Credit Card
- Unlawful Use of Two-Way Communication Device.
Citrus County
- Principle to 1st Degree Murder
Charges: Duane Sclesky
Hernando County
- 1st Degree Murder
- Trafficking in Fentanyl and Possession of Paraphernalia/Various Narcotics
Citrus County
- 1st Degree Murder
“Think about these victims; they may have lived a high-risk lifestyle, but they did not deserve to die like this,” said Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast. “While there is no evidence at this time of other victims, if anyone out there has missing loved ones who were known associates of the Sclesky’s, do not hesitate to reach out to CCSO or HCSO to report your concerns.”
The Sclesky’s are being held at the Hernando County Detention Center without bond. The sheriff’s office says further charges are pending.