×

Couple with Lake Placid ties found dead in Florida

A Florida couple with ties to Lake Placid were found dead in their North Naples home Wednesday afternoon, both with gunshot wounds to the head, according to several media reports out of Collier County, Florida.

Collier County Sheriff’s Office deputies found Michael Bitterman, 74, and his wife Barbara N. Bitterman, 61, dead at their residence on Collier’s Reserve Drive late Wednesday afternoon, the Naples Daily News reports.

NBC 2 News in Southwest Florida reports that Collier deputies say the Bittermans were the victims of a murder-suicide.

Both the Naples Daily News and NBC 2 report the couple was found nearby one another in a guest bedroom, with a shotgun at the end of the bed. NBC 2 reported Sunday investigators will not say what led up to the murder-suicide or who pulled the trigger.

“The Bitterman tragedy was indeed so sad,” Naples Mayor Bill Barnett wrote in a statement on Facebook. “Both our Naples Community and the Lake Placid Community will be grieving for our loss. Heartfelt condolences to their families.”

Digital and voice messages left by the Enterprise with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office on Sunday evening were not returned as of press time.

Starting at $3.92/week.

Subscribe Today