Osceola County * Osceola County Sheriff’s detectives have identified the victim in the Jersey Avenue murder-suicide as 44-year-old Brenda Joyce Hilliar. Hilliar was renting a room from the suspect, Raymond Lagrotta at 1709 Jersey Avenue. Detectives believe Hilliar was killed several weeks before Lagrotta committed suicide on February 11, 2008. The medical examiner ruled Hilliar’s cause of death as strangulation and used dental records to identify Hilliar.

Background:
 At approximately 1:38 a.m., Osceola County Sheriff’s deputies received information regarding a suspicious incident at 1709 Jersey Avenue in St. Cloud. Deputies went to the residence and attempted to make contact with the two individuals at the home. One of the men ran out of the home and another man barricaded himself inside the residence. Many attempts were made to make contact with the man.
 SWAT made entry after 6 a.m. and located a male deceased in the residence. The identities of the individuals involved in this incident have not been released.
 The nature of the suspicious incident involved information that a person might be deceased inside the residence at 1709 Jersey Avenue in St. Cloud. This information has not been confirmed because detectives are currently waiting for a search warrant in order to make entry to the residence.
 As a precaution, some homes in the surrounding area of Jersey Avenue were temporarily evacuated. Deputies were unsure if the barricaded subject was dangerous or had weapons inside the residence.
 Osceola County Sheriff’s detectives have confirmed two bodies were found in a residence at 1709 Jersey Avenue in St. Cloud. Investigators obtained a search warrant and made entry into the home this morning. The body of a man involved in the barricaded incident from early this morning was located. In addition, another body (which was covered and has not been identified) was found. The death did not appear to be recent. Detectives, Forensics Technicians and the Medical Examiner’s Office gathered evidence before the leaving scene shortly before 2 p.m.
 Osceola County Sheriff’s detectives confirmed the identity of the barricaded subject in the Jersey Avenue incident that occurred on February 8, 2008. Raymond Lagrotta (DOB 10/9/55) barricaded himself in the bathroom after Sheriff’s deputies came to his residence to conduct a well being check on an individual. SWAT team members made entry shortly after 6 a.m. and found him deceased from a self-inflicted knife wound. Based on the evidence and information obtained, detectives believe the incident is a murder/suicide. Lagrotta is believed to have killed an acquaintance several weeks ago. Vincent Hohn (DOB 12/28/76) who resides at 1705 Jersey Avenue was the individual who was with Lagrotta when deputies arrived at 1709 Jersey Avenue.