FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Authorities are investigating a disturbing series of connected incidents across Florida that left seven people dead in Fort Lauderdale and Sarasota. Law enforcement officials say the cases appear to be linked and are working to piece together the timeline behind the deadly events.
Fort Lauderdale Police responded Tuesday afternoon to a wellness check at a home on Northeast 15th Avenue. Inside the residence, officers discovered the bodies of a man and a woman. Their identities have not yet been released. Investigators later revealed that evidence from the scene suggested a possible connection to another deadly incident that unfolded earlier the same day in Sarasota, more than 200 miles away.
In Sarasota, deputies were called to a home after reports of gunfire. When they arrived, neighbors were attempting CPR on a man found in the front yard. He was pronounced dead shortly afterward. Upon entering the home, deputies discovered four additional victims — two men and two women — who were also found dead inside the residence.
The suspect, identified as 51-year-old Russell Kot, was later found dead inside the Sarasota home from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Authorities said Kot’s vehicle was captured on camera traveling through Punta Gorda, which helped investigators connect the Sarasota and Fort Lauderdale scenes. Officials believe Kot traveled between the two cities before the shootings occurred.
The Sarasota victims were identified as Olga Greinert, 49; Florita Stolyar, 66; Anatoly Ioffe, 61; and Yaroslav Blyudoy, 39. Investigators said Kot had previously been in a romantic relationship with one of the Fort Lauderdale victims. While authorities are still examining how all of the victims may be connected, the motive behind the killings remains unclear.
Fort Lauderdale Police emphasized that there is no ongoing threat to the public. Both Fort Lauderdale and Sarasota authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shootings, including the timeline and relationships involved. The tragic series of events has left both communities shaken as officials work to uncover answers and provide clarity to the victims’ families.
