Woman arrested after confessing to murder of roommate in Charlotte Ranchettes

Punta Gorda, Fla. (WINK) — A woman is under arrest after confessing to killing her roommate in a rural Charlotte County neighborhood, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies say 76-year-old Paul De Wayne Bradley was found dead Sunday evening at his home on Gewant Boulevard in the Charlotte Ranchettes, east of Interstate 75.

Investigators say Bradley’s roommate, Shannon Rose Giblin, 48, admitted to stabbing him following an argument.

According to the sheriff’s office, Giblin told detectives she realized Bradley was beyond help after the attack, covered his body with a tarp, and left the scene in his pickup truck.

Detectives later determined the truck had been driven to Sarasota County, where deputies with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office located the vehicle and detained Giblin.

Charlotte County detectives then questioned Giblin, who confessed to the killing, according to investigators.

She is now charged with second-degree murder (not premeditated) and grand theft of a motor vehicle. Authorities say she is being held without bond.

Deputies were initially dispatched to the home Sunday night after receiving a report of a person not breathing. When deputies arrived, they found Bradley dead inside the home.

The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit responded and began investigating.

Throughout Monday, detectives collected evidence from both the home and a storage structure on the property. Crime scene tape surrounded the house as investigators documented the scene.

Detectives also asked nearby residents if they had security camera footage between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

Neighbors shocked by the death of a man they describe as kind

The investigation shook residents in the quiet Charlotte Ranchettes community, where neighbors say Bradley was well known and liked. A steady stream of neighbors drove past the home on Monday as they tried to understand what had happened.

Neighbor Jody Scharping described Bradley as a kind and generous man.

“He was a veteran. He went through wars and came back, he survived a heart attack not long ago, and then this is what takes his life. Nobody deserves that,” Scharping said.

She said Bradley even mentored her son at one point.

“He came over one day to talk to me about my son because he was mentoring him for a while, and he was in his underwear on his scooter. It reminded me of my dad — just that old veteran who wouldn’t hurt anybody.”

Scharping’s son, Parker Daigle, said he also worked with Bradley and remembers him as someone who was always kind.

“He was a super nice guy. Always bought me lunch. I worked with him a lot. I helped him clean out all the sheds,” Daigle said.

Daigle said Bradley’s death has been difficult for neighbors to understand.

“Nobody hated him. He was just a super nice dude. I didn’t think anybody would ever do that to him.”

Scharping said she first realized something was wrong Sunday evening when she saw emergency vehicles near the home.

“I got closer, I realized where they were at, I couldn't get through, and then I saw one of the neighbors crying, so I pulled over and stopped, and I asked her… what's going on with Paul?” Scharping said.

Neighbors say Bradley had lived at the home with his wife until she passed away a few years ago.

More recently, residents say a woman had been staying at the home to help him around the house.

Scharping said she had heard the situation between the two had been deteriorating.

“From my understanding, things weren't going really well… but he was gonna, I guess, evict her that day, and then that happened, so I'm assuming something didn't go right,” Scharping said.

The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office says the investigation into Bradley’s death remains ongoing.

Authorities have not released additional details about what led to the argument that investigators say ended in Bradley’s death. WINK News will continue to follow developments in the case.