Florida authorities are investigating the mysterious suicides of two St. Lucie County Deputies who had just welcomed their first son weeks ago.
Clayton Osteen, a 24-year-old St. Lucie County Deputy committed suicide on Dec. 31 but was placed on life support for a couple of days before being officially pronounced dead.
Shortly after his death, his 23-year-old wife Victoria Pacheco, who was also a St. Lucie County Deputy, took her own life. The couple’s passing left all who knew them in disbelief.
“Tragically, for reasons completely unknown and totally out of character, Clayton took his own life on December 31st. reeling from the shock of loss, Victoria took her own life two days later,” a fundraiser for the couple’s infant read.
St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara mourned the married deputies’ sudden deaths.
“While it’s impossible for us to fully comprehend the private circumstances leading up to this devastating loss, we pray that this tragedy becomes a catalyst for change, a catalyst to help erase the stigma surrounding mental well-being and normalize the conversation about the challenges so many of us face on a regular basis.”
