Detectives said they are still working to determine whether it was a homicide or murder-suicide.
APOPKA, FL — Apopka police are investigating the deaths of two people found inside a general store Friday night, after officers responded to a call for service just before 9 p.m. at Griffin General Store in south Apopka, authorities said. The agency has not released the cause of death.
The case drew a heavy police presence and road closures on West Michael Gladden Boulevard, a two-lane stretch lined with homes and small businesses near U.S. 441. Detectives said they were still working to determine what happened inside the store and whether the deaths involved a homicide or a possible murder-suicide. Police said there was no known ongoing threat to the public, but officers planned to keep an increased presence in the area as the investigation continued.
Officers were sent to Griffin General Store, at 262 W. Michael Gladden Blvd., at about 8:55 p.m. Friday, police said. When they arrived, they found two people dead inside the business. Investigators secured the property with crime-scene tape and blocked off West Michael Gladden Boulevard between South Hawthorne Avenue and South Washington Street while evidence was collected. “The scene remains secured as investigators process evidence and work to determine exactly what occurred,” police said in a written update. “There is no known ongoing threat to the public.”
Authorities did not immediately describe the circumstances that led them to the store or what they found inside. Police also did not say whether a weapon was recovered, whether there were signs of a struggle, or whether surveillance video captured anything useful. The department said it was withholding identities at first while next-of-kin notifications were completed, and investigators asked anyone with information to contact police or provide a tip through Crimeline.
By Saturday, police said the family notifications had been completed, but the department still did not release names publicly and said details remained limited out of respect for relatives. That decision left neighbors and people who work nearby waiting for basic facts about what happened and why investigators were keeping the scene active into the weekend. Detectives said they were following up on leads, processing evidence, and trying to determine a clear timeline, including who was at the store in the hours before officers arrived.
Local residents described the store as a familiar stop in the area, a place where people buy drinks, snacks and other basics. News of the deaths spread quickly Friday night as patrol cars gathered along the road and officers turned drivers away from the blocked stretch. Some people posted photos and videos of flashing lights and tape lines, and several said they recognized the store as a community fixture rather than a place associated with violence.
A reporter at the scene described seeing crime-scene personnel entering the store as detectives worked outside under bright lights. The police presence included multiple marked vehicles positioned to close the roadway, with officers directing traffic at intersections and keeping onlookers back from the property line. Police have not said how long they expect to keep the immediate scene secured or when the store will be able to reopen.
Police have also not said whether the two deaths occurred at the same time or whether one person died earlier and was discovered later. Investigators did not say whether they were called to the store by a customer, an employee, a family member, or an alarm. They also did not describe any injuries, leaving open major questions about whether the deaths were caused by violence, a medical emergency, or some other event. The department said investigators were working with the medical examiner, which is standard in death investigations.
As information began to circulate in the neighborhood, some community members identified the victims as siblings and said they were well known in the area. The owner of the business told a local outlet that one of the two people had previously worked at the store. Family members who spoke to a reporter identified the woman as Schneita Swift and the second person as her brother, Ezra. Police did not confirm those identities in their public updates.
Friends and neighbors said the deaths left a gap that is hard to explain, especially in a close-knit part of south Apopka where people often recognize each other by sight. Kizzy Ward, described as a longtime friend of the family, said the pair were known as kind people who kept to themselves. “She was a sweet girl. Her brother was a sweet dude. They didn’t bother anyone,” Ward said. “They were just lovable people.” Ward said she had seen the brother walking recently and struggled to process that he was now gone.
A small memorial began forming outside the store, with people stopping by to leave items and to share memories in quiet conversations near the entrance. The gathering was not a formal vigil, but it carried the same weight: a public expression of grief and confusion while the official facts remained scarce. Some visitors paused by the tape, looked toward the building, and then stepped back toward the roadside, where the sound of passing traffic blended with the flashing lights of patrol cars still parked nearby.
A relative of one of the victims told a reporter she was too emotional to speak on camera but shared photos of her mother and uncle, reflecting the personal loss behind the police investigation. Those close to the family said they were hoping for answers about what happened inside the store and why the siblings did not make it home. In the absence of details, residents said they were left to piece together what little they knew from police briefings and word-of-mouth.
Police have emphasized that there is no known continuing danger to the public, a phrase typically used to signal that investigators do not believe an active suspect is targeting others. Still, the department said it planned an increased presence in the area as a precaution. Officers were expected to remain visible along the corridor as detectives conducted interviews, reviewed any available camera footage, and sought records that might help explain who entered or left the store in the period before officers arrived.
Investigators have not said whether they believe the deaths happened inside the public area of the store or in a back room, nor have they described whether the store appeared open to customers at the time of the call. Authorities also have not said whether they have identified a person of interest or whether they are treating the case strictly as a death investigation pending autopsy results. In many cases, a medical examiner’s findings and toxicology tests can take days or weeks, depending on the circumstances.
Police have asked for information from anyone who may have been in the area Friday night or who may know what the victims were doing earlier in the day. Detectives often look for small details that can confirm a timeline, such as receipts, phone records, messages, and door-camera footage from nearby homes or businesses. Police have not said whether they have collected such evidence in this case, but they have described their work as active and ongoing.
Because the investigation is in an early stage, officials have not released a possible motive, and they have not described how the two deaths might be connected beyond occurring at the same location. Police also have not said whether the store had any history of security issues or recent disputes. Residents, however, described the area as one where people generally know each other, and several said they were surprised by the heavy police response to a place they viewed as routine and familiar.
In the hours after the discovery, the blocked road created a visible line between everyday life and the crime scene. Drivers were rerouted, and some residents walked to the edge of the closure to see what was happening. The intersection closures between South Hawthorne Avenue and South Washington Street were meant to give investigators room to work without interference and to preserve any evidence that might exist outside the building, such as shell casings, footprints, or other material.
Officials have not announced any arrests, and no charges have been filed. Police have also not said whether they expect to release a formal incident report soon, though agencies often provide more information once initial interviews are complete and the medical examiner provides preliminary findings. Detectives said they would share updates as information becomes available and appropriate for release.
For now, the case remains defined by what police have not said: how the two people died, what led officers to the business, and whether anyone else was present. Investigators said they were continuing to process evidence and follow up on leads, while neighbors watched the scene for signs of change, such as the removal of tape or a reduction in patrol cars. The store’s role as a community gathering point only intensified the impact of the deaths, residents said, because the location is tied to daily routines and familiar faces.
Apopka police said late Saturday that they did not have an update to share beyond confirming the ongoing investigation. The next milestone is expected to be the medical examiner’s determination of the manner and cause of death and any police briefing that follows, though no date for that information has been announced.
Author note: Last updated February 8, 2026.