Madison Zaleski
•9/9/2026
The Hendry County sheriff spoke with Gulf Coast News after two men were arrested after being accused of making threats against Hendry County deputies and others in the days after a deputy shot and killed 33-year-old Edward Young Jr. in August. Sheriff Steve Whidden said the swift response sends a clear message that threats made against law enforcement will be taken seriously. "If he threatened to kill our deputies, especially their wives and children, we're coming for you," Whidden said. Calvin Miller and Larry Idlette are now locked up. Investigators say both men are accused of threatening deputies' lives after Hendry County deputies shot and killed Young at a traffic stop. Hendry County deputies pulled Young over for reckless driving along State Road 29 and Case Road on Aug. 29. Body camera video shows the routine stop escalated within seconds after Young reportedly reached for a handgun and fired multiple rounds at the deputies before a deputy on the passenger side of the vehicle returned fire, striking Young multiple times. He was transported for medical care but later died from his injuries. Since then, the sheriff said they got calls from a man who identified himself as Young's brother. According to the sheriff's office, its administrative staff took more than 150 calls from Calvin Miller, and in one call to an HCSO road supervisor, he reportedly said, "You think you're going to blow my brother away and I'm not going to settle the score?" HCSO said Miller also called the Hendry County Board of County Commissioners' offices, reportedly threatening their staff by saying he was going to come to the location and shoot everyone, starting with the female staff member who answered the phone. He was arrested in Texas last week and is now in the Hendry County jail. "Which is what prompted us to take that very seriously, because the verbiage he was using and the amount of calls he made, he wasn't backing down," Whidden said. As for Larry Idlette, he reportedly targeted his threats on social media. According to HCSO, Larry Jerome Davenport Idlette, a 48-year-old Fort Myers man, commented with the account named "L.J. Davenport," "find out the killer's name, more than likely he has a social media! Cop will not be charged. They will find a way to justify it. It has to be an eye for an eye….A life for a life. Use the Flock cameras for his address or place most frequent, wife, job kids school! Hunt like they hunt us." Deputies said Idlette posted again on Sept. 1, stating, "AN ITS STILL 'AN EYE FOR AN EYE"... Give out Hi Fives for their kill." Gulf Coast News spoke with an attorney to better understand how serious these charges could be. "You're there looking, now some serious felony charges. I mean, it could be anywhere from the first, second or third degree felony, depending on the severity of the threats," said criminal attorney Michael Hornung. Since releasing the body camera video, Sheriff Whidden believes it has given the public a different perspective on the incident. "I'm not going to hide, cover up anything. But, you know, when an incident like this happens that involves law enforcement, give us the benefit of the doubt, sit back and let the facts come out before you start assigning blame," Whidden said. Idlette is facing a charge of written threat to kill or do bodily injury. Miller is facing charges of unlawful use of a two-way communications device in the commission of a felony, aggravated stalking, and false reports concerning the use of a firearm in a violent manner. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.
