Ocala police investigate double murder

OCALA, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - On Monday afternoon, it was still a pretty active scene in Ocala where investigators said they found two people murdered inside a house Sunday morning.

Police said 81-year-old Robert Schwamberger and 78-year-old Ruth Schwamberger, whom police believed to be his wife,  were killed in the home on NE 43rd Avenue in Ocala.

Karen, a neighbor said,  "I cannot fathom somebody deciding to murder somebody else."  Cindy, another neighbor, said, "It's just terrible. I can't imagine."

There are few clues right now. Ocala Police tell me they came here to NE 43rd Avenue, around 8:09am Sunday for a well-being check, and found the two dead

Major Mike Balken, with Ocala Police Department, said, "Right now, we're combing through the evidence. Trying to determine exactly what took place, when it took place, and whom committed the crime."

Karen said,  "If somebody was visiting them and murdered them, or somebody came in and murdered them, it's not right. It's just not right."

She said the Schwambergers were her neighbors for years. “We used to watch out for them, and help them out when they were ill. They did not deserve this."   

FOX 35 was there as the forensics team arrived, and investigators covered the windows to help find clues inside the home

"I am just totally freaked out,” Karen said,  “because, the person that may have done this, I may have known."

If you know anything about this double homicide, call Ocala Police at 352.369.7000 or call Detective S. McQuaig at 352.369.7029. You can also call CrimeStoppers of Marion County at 352.368.STOP (7867).