VALRICO, Fla. — Deputies are currently investigating what they say appears to be a murder-suicide in Valrico early Wednesday morning.
During a press conference, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said emergency call operators received a phone call around 3:49 a.m. from a woman saying her 51-year-old estranged husband was inside her home on Drake Elm Terrace threatening to shoot her new boyfriend.
WATCH: Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister press conference
Moments later, Chronister said they received another call from the woman's 12-year-old son, who was hiding upstairs in a closet. He told deputies that his dad had broken into the house, and all he could hear was a commotion downstairs.
Call takers told the boy to stay put. At the same time, call takers speaking to the woman on a separate line heard her husband tell her boyfriend, "I'm going to kill you," and then several gunshots.
Minutes later, from 3:49 a.m. to 3:56 a.m., deputies pulled up to the home and found a vehicle fully engulfed in flames. They then found what they believed to be the husband lying on the ground fully on fire with a gun a few feet away. However, Chronister said they cannot fully confirm the individual's identity just yet.
WATCH: Video from neighbor shows burning car after apparent murder-suicide
"Knowing that they could not help this individual, not knowing who this individual is, is there still an active shooter situation, these brave deputies continued to forge forward inside the house," Chronister said.
When they got inside, deputies found the woman's boyfriend, who died after he was shot multiple times by her husband.
Other deputies began to clear the home and went upstairs to find the 12-year-old, who Chronister said was distraught. He was removed to safety and reunited with his mother.
"Innocent lives were taken," Chronister said.
Last Thursday, Chronister said the husband accidentally learned that his wife, who he separated from five years ago, was dating someone for the last three months. He then told the woman that he was going to come to her house and light himself on fire.
Chronister said he had no prior criminal history, but they did receive a call for service from him on Dec. 22, 2024, asking for assistance retrieving a few of his belongings from his wife's home.
Deputies are not releasing the name of the woman's boyfriend until his next of kin has been notified.
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