A Charlotte County deputy motorcade carried Sgt. Elio Diaz’s body from the medical examiner's office to the Farley Funeral Home on Tuesday.
Deputy after deputy, a motorcade brought the body of Diaz to the funeral home in Venice. Both deputies and firefighters saluted as they drove past.
About 48 hours ago, at the Chevron gas station across the street from the Sunseeker Resort, Diaz was shot and killed by Andrew Mostyn, holding a rifle.
It happened during a traffic stop Sunday night. Mostyn shot Diaz and took off. Deputies tracked him down at Popeyes along Kings Highway. It was there he tried to shoot again, but deputies shot first, killing Mostyn.
David Thomas, a forensic science professor at Florida Gulf Coast University, said traffic stops can be dangerous for officers.
“As they approach the car, then they're looking, they're trying to catch through the mirror what's going on in the seat of the car and what the suspect is doing,” Thomas said.
Thomas said in these situations, the suspects have the upper hand.
“He or she knows if they're armed,” he said. “They know if they have an intent to harm the officer. And they know in many cases if they're wanted and the police don't because that information is necessarily related to the tag and or the description of the vehicle.”
As the investigation into this double shooting continues, Diaz's memorial site continues to grow.
“I talked to the store owner, and he said, 'Go for it,'” resident Brandon Beasley said. “I talked to a couple of deputies. They said, 'Go ahead, do it.'"
Beasley is just one of a dozen Charlotte County residents who have made this site permanent for the Diaz family.
Beasley considers Diaz part of his family since his parents work for the CCSO. He said he met Diaz when he was least expecting it.
“We've had spoken before on a traffic stop,” he said. “Pulled me up for speeding. But really, a whole-hearted person. You know, I've always been the best driver, so I can say that, but seriously, I mean, very well-loved member of our society gone too soon.”
Throughout the day, many have stopped by the memorial, dropping off flowers and mementos to honor Diaz.
Something that caught our crew's eye was words written on the balloons from deputies who worked with Diaz. They wrote: "We got it from here."