Port St. Lucie police released the 911 call made the night Elizabeth Ortega, 50, was shot and killed outside her home on the 2000 block of SE Oxmoor Terrace, where suspect Ralph Varela Sr., 50, was later found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. In the 911 call, a neighbor described hearing five or six gunshots loud enough to rattle her house before her 4-year-old child spotted Ortega lying motionless in the front yard. The caller told the dispatcher she did not go outside because she was frightened, and that Ortega and her husband were frequently heard arguing.
The caller said both vehicles belonging to the residents were still parked outside the home and that Ortega was not moving. Responding officers found Ortega suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
She was airlifted to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital, where she later died. Police said Varela returned inside the home after the shooting, where officers later found him dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Palm Beach Sheriff's Office said Ortega's son, Ralph Varela Jr., is a firefighter with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, and asked the community to keep both agencies in their thoughts. The investigation remains active as detectives continue processing evidence and await final results from the Medical Examiner's Office. Funeral arrangements are pending.
Port St. Lucie police extended their condolences to Ortega's family and loved ones. The department encouraged anyone experiencing domestic violence to ask for help and seek help.