Local murder investigation leads to murder-suicide in Volusia County

In less than 24-hours, Historic City News has learned of the murder of a Palm Valley resident, 70-year-old Joseph Reddock, and this morning, the apparent murder-suicide of Reddock’s son, 41-year-old Joseph Carmichael Reddock Jr., and his wife Samantha Johnson Reddock, in a Daytona Beach motel room.

The body of the victim, Joseph Carmichael Reddock Sr., was discovered inside a bedroom of his home in Sawmill Lakes subdivision off Palm Valley Road, late Wednesday afternoon. Authorities believe he died sometime between Sunday and Wednesday.

“All indications were that it was not a natural death and he had been the victim of violence,” Shoar said last night from the scene in the 600 block of Lake Stone Circle.

From what we know, Reddock, Jr, and Samantha took Reddock, Sr’s 1999 Silver Honda Accord, Florida tag 635RHY, and traveled from Palm Valley to a motel room at the Regency Inn on Ridgeway Avenue in Daytona Beach, where Daytona Police are still inventorying a cache of high-powered assault rifles, handguns, and ammunition.

Shoar said the Sheriff’s Office has had contact with Reddock Jr in the past. Jail records indicate Reddock, Jr has been arrested a number times, dating as far back as 2000. Past charges include battery, domestic battery, battery on a law enforcement officer and aggravated assault. Twenty five arrest in St Johns County and seven more in Duval County of which we are aware.