Kendall Brandt
•7/8/2026
A pest control salesman in Lehigh Acres hid behind a home on East Ninth Street after a woman was accused of threatening to shoot and kill him, deputies said.
The incident occurred when the salesman was knocking on doors near Monroe Avenue and East Ninth Street Tuesday. Deputies said 62-year-old Cecilia Ross reportedly pulled up in a Nissan SUV, pointed a gun at the salesman, and threatened to kill him if he returned to her house.
Carson Davis, a salesman with ProForce Pest Control, said he has faced harassment in the past, but has never experienced anything like what his competitor encountered.
"I completely understand somebody coming up to the door and you might be frightened a little bit, but at the end of the day, like I said, we're just salesmen, you know, we're 19-year-olds, 20-year-olds just selling pest control," Davis said.
Javier Suarez, a Lehigh Acres resident, said a pest control salesman came to his house on a hoverboard Tuesday.
"He was just doing his job," Suarez said. "She really took it out of hand."
Experts in the pest control industry said safety is a top priority for their teams. Sean Hearn, with All U Need Pest Control, said proper training is essential.
"I'm a firm believer that compliance leads to safety," Hearn said. "Having all of your proper licensing, your proper solicitors permits, your state ID cards that are required."
When visiting Ross's home, "No Trespassing" notices were visible, along with a sign that read, "Guarded three nights a week — you guess which nights."
Davis said he and his colleagues remain vigilant while working.
"At the end of the day, the sheriff's department is our friend, you know, they know exactly what we're doing," Davis said. "We're out here just doing our job."
Ross faces an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge.
