Impending Hurricane Frances Prompts Murder/Suicide

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Boynton Man Uses Frances To Lure Mom To Her Death

Investigators say that a Boynton Beach man used Hurricane Frances to lure his 83-year-old mother to her death in an apparent murder-suicide, officials said.

John Robert Johnson, 54, invited his mother to his house to ride out the storm, police said. When she got there, he started a car in the garage and both died later from carbon monoxide poisoning, police said.

A suicide letter was found inside Johnson's home, Detective Ray Schilke said. The content of the letter was not released, but Schilke said, "We do believe that the mom was not a willing participant in her death."

Veola Johnson and her son lived side-by-side in the 1700 block of Palm Land Drive. "Investigators are looking at it like a safe haven offered." Schilke said. There "really was no other reason for her to be at the house."

Her death does not appear to be accidental, police said.

Investigators are not sure how long the two had been in the home in the Chanteclair Villas condominium complex but received the call shortly after phone service was restored to the Police Department.

The bodies were found about 10:15 a.m. Sunday after a neighbor flagged down an off-duty police officer, officials said.

Even though John Robert Johnson used Hurricane Frances to lure his mother to his home, their deaths are not a direct result of the storm, police said.

The investigation into the Johnsons' deaths continues. Anyone with information can call Detective Toby Athol, 561-742-6152 or Crime Stoppers, 800-458-8477.

Frances may have had a hand in four other deaths, authorities said.

A strong gust of wind associated with the storm may have caused Sunday's fatal car crash along Florida's Turnpike in Pompano Beach, Florida Highway Patrol officials said.

A man was killed and his passenger injured when his Toyota SUV rolled over and landed in standing water from the storm, FHP Lt. Pat Santangelo said. The female passenger was taken to Delray Medical Center. Neither victim was identified.

The couple was traveling north about 1:50 p.m. when the vehicle went off the road, he said. "Vehicles such as SUVs have had a difficult time negotiating gusty winds over the past few days," Santangelo said.

In the Bahamas, one man was found dead Saturday on the western end of Grand Bahama, police Superintendent Basil Rahming said. Police think the man was trying to swim to safety. Another man was electrocuted Friday while trying to fill a generator with diesel fuel as the storm raged.

Police said they feared a third man in his 80s was likely killed in his wooden house when it collapsed Saturday near the western tip of Grand Bahama. His body had yet to be found.