COCOA, Fla. — A Florida mother arrived at her children’s father’s home for a scheduled custody exchange and discovered her two young children and their father dead inside, prompting an investigation into an apparent murder-suicide, according to police.
The children were identified as 7-year-old Remy Dingwall and 5-year-old Aria Dingwall. Their father, 37-year-old Joseph Kyle Dingwall, was also found dead at the residence in Cocoa on Wednesday, October 7.
Cocoa police said preliminary findings indicate that Dingwall killed the children before taking his own life. Investigators have not publicly disclosed a motive, and the circumstances surrounding the deaths remain under investigation.
Mother Called 911 After Finding Her Children
The children’s mother, Olivia Piccolo, went to the home to pick up Remy and Aria as part of their custody arrangement. Police Chief Evander Collier IV said Piccolo had tried to contact Dingwall but could not reach him.
When she arrived, the front door was partially open. Piccolo entered the home and found all three family members dead, then called 911 at approximately 12:43 p.m., police said.
The discovery has left the family facing an unimaginable loss. In comments shared through a local news reporter, Piccolo expressed how much she loved her children and wanted others to know how special they were.
Neighbor Reported Hearing Gunshots Overnight
Investigators are examining events from the hours before the bodies were discovered.
Marcos Garcia, a neighbor who lives across the street, told local television station WESH that he heard what sounded like two gunshots at approximately 12:20 a.m. Wednesday. He said the sounds appeared to come from the area near Dingwall’s home.
Garcia’s surveillance cameras captured a man walking around the front of the property with a flashlight around the same time. The footage reportedly shows the man moving around outside before returning toward the house.
Police have discussed the surveillance footage as part of their investigation. However, the precise sequence of events and the connection between the reported gunshots and the deaths have not been fully established publicly.
Chief Collier also said no calls were received reporting gunshots at the time the neighbor described hearing them.
Police Had Responded to the Home Before
During a news conference, Collier revealed that police had received approximately 11 calls involving Dingwall’s residence since 2021. Some of those calls involved reports of suspicious activity, although the chief did not provide further details.
Authorities have not publicly explained whether any of the previous calls were connected to the current investigation.
Police continue to examine the evidence and speak with witnesses to establish what happened inside the home and determine the circumstances leading to the deaths.
Officials have described the incident as isolated and said there is no active threat to the public.
Fundraisers Created to Support the Family
As the investigation continues, friends of the family have organized online fundraisers to help Piccolo cope with the loss and cover funeral expenses.
A GoFundMe campaign describes Remy and Aria as siblings who were best friends and shared a close bond. Another fundraising effort seeks financial assistance for funeral costs and other needs facing their mother.
Cocoa Mayor Michael C. Blake has also urged community members to offer support and compassion to the grieving family.
For now, investigators have not released a motive or a complete timeline of the deaths. Police are continuing to gather evidence as the community mourns the loss of two young children.
