Deputies Conducting Death Investigation After Man Found Dead inside a Home in Unincorporated Clearwater
Crews from Largo Fire Rescue and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home at 1506 Meadow Dale Drive shortly before 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 15, 2018.
According to detectives, 71-year-old Daniel Gillespie, Jr. was found inside of his residence. When deputies arrived he was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Detectives have confirmed that Gillespie died from unnatural causes and states that this is an open and on-going investigation.
The Sheriff’s office reports that this death does not appear to be related to any other open death investigations in our area.
Court records indicate that some legal action taken recently that affirmed that 71 year-old Daniel Chaplin Gillespie, Jr was able to take possession of the home at 1506 Meadow Dale Drive in a life estate following the 2009 death of his wife, Sharon Gillespie.
His daughter, 44 year-old Shannon Gillespie along with three other siblings believed they each had a 1/4 remaining interest in the home. Shannon was reportedly living in the home with her 3 school age children. Daniel Gillespie III, age 19, also appeared to reside a the home. The home was in her mother’s family for many generations but legal issues recently surfaced. Daniel Jr. proceeded to move to evict Shannon and her children from the home.
Shannon and Daniel, III were entwined in domestic violence injunctions with their father, Daniel, Jr. in July of 2018. On October 20, 2018, he was arrested for a violation of this injunction after entering the Publix on Belcher Road that Shannon also occupied simultaneously
On October 2, 2018, Mr. Gillespie filed paperwork to revoke his permission for Shannon and others to reside at the home.
This possession of the home was given to Daniel Gillespie, Jr by court order on November 15, 2018. The notice also gave the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office the approval to, “remove all persons” from the property 24 hours after the notice was posted at the residence. It was the evening of November 15th that Daniel Gillespie Jr. was found deceased.
Updates will be provided when released by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.
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Article updated: November 19, 2018