VERO BEACH — A skeletonized body<a href="https://veronews.com/2026/05/27/badly-decomposed-body-found-in-vero-beach-police-investigating/"> found in the Riomar neighborhood</a> Wednesday was identified through dental records as Jesse Scott Ellis, wanted for fatally shooting his wife and her co-worker. Officers said they believe <a href="https://veronews.com/2026/04/11/many-questions-few-answers-from-cops-nearly-three-weeks-after-double-homicide/">64-year-old Ellis</a> died from hanging himself from a low-hanging tree in a wooded area. [caption id="attachment_232637" align="alignleft" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-232637" title="Jesse Ellis" src="https://veronews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Jesse-Ellis-e1779991158953-300x159.jpg" alt="Jesse Ellis" width="300" height="159" /> Jesse Scott Ellis PHOTOS PROVIDED BY VERO BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT[/caption] "Investigators believe Ellis died by suicide shortly after the March 24 (double) homicide incident," Vero Beach police Chief David Currey said during a Thursday news conference. "Due to the advanced stage of decomposition, the medical examiner is unable to make a definitive determination regarding the exact manner of death at this time." Currey said police found Ellis' belt, which contained his initials J.S.E., attached to the tree. Investigators saw Ellis' body on the ground. Ellis had on the same clothing he wore when he left his home the morning of March 24 - a ball cap, dark shirt and camouflage shorts. Police also found a pair of black sunglasses. There were no weapons found at the scene. Currey said police believe Ellis died not long after officers spotted his vehicle at South Beach Park. An autopsy was conducted on the body Thursday morning. "We were able to get X-rays from a local dentist he had been to in February this year. In a matter of seconds-to-minutes, the medical examiner's office identified him positively," Currey said. "We already had DNA in route, but this is much quicker." Ellis, who was wanted on two counts of first-degree premeditated murder, had been missing for two months. His body was discovered by pool maintenance workers near a home in the 2000 block of Cove Drive, a quiet, dead-end street on the barrier island. "There's a small number of homes. He went into a wooded section between two homes at the west side of the road and the property line," Currey said. "This was not out in the open. It was dense...large oak trees, palms, undergrowth." Currey said investigators did not initially search Cove Drive during their <a href="https://veronews.com/2026/04/03/manhunt-will-suspected-killer-ever-be-caught/">extensive manhunt for Ellis</a>. <strong>Double shooting leads to manhunt</strong> Ellis' body was found 1.3 miles northwest of South Beach Park, the location where police said Ellis parked his truck Tuesday, March 24 after committing the double homicide. That morning, Ellis followed his wife, 49-year-old Stacie E. Mason, to the Indian River County Main Library parking lot, where he fatally shot Mason and her co-worker 56-year-old Danny Ooley shortly after 7 a.m. Both Mason and Ooley, who were shot multiple times while they sat in Ooley's vehicle, worked for the county public works department, according to police. The <a href="https://veronews.com/2026/03/25/manhunt-continues-for-husband-wanted-for-questions-in-vero-double-slaying/">shooting was a targeted, domestic-related incident</a> where officers said Ellis believed Mason was having a relationship with Ooley. After the gunfire, Ellis fled in his Ford F-150 pickup to the barrier island, according to police. A witness spotted Ellis going into the ocean in the area between South Beach Park and the Riomar Country Club and dialed 911 at 7:58 a.m., police officials said. Indian River County Fire Rescue crews conducted a welfare check at 8:30 a.m. on a man who entered the water wearing all of his clothes, police said. The man swam about a quarter to a half mile offshore, according to fire rescue crews. Fire rescue officials did not know about the shooting or Ellis at the time of the encounter. The man didn't appear to be in distress and refused help, according to police. Currey said in the future, police will work on sharing vital information with fire rescue officials in a timely manner to streamline communication efforts. "It's very unique for someone to do what Ellis did, run to the ocean, jump in and come back out," Currey said. "What we found yesterday is what we felt was going to take place based on the investigation." Officers found <a href="https://veronews.com/2026/03/24/pickup-truck-linked-to-vero-double-homicide-found/">Ellis' unoccupied pickup</a> about 12:45 p.m. parked at South Beach Park. <a href="https://veronews.com/2026/03/27/wet-clothes-note-empty-holster-found-in-truck-of-double-homicide-suspect-warrant-issued/">Police found multiple items in the vehicle</a>, including wet shorts and a wet shirt, an empty holster, a .380-caliber magazine, along with a wallet. Detectives also found Ellis’ driver’s license, credit cards and passport as they searched the pickup after it was towed to the Vero Beach Police Department. Police released surveillance footage three days later showing a man resembling Ellis being rescued from the water and walking south of Riomar Beach. [gallery ids="232640,232641,230690,230310,232642"] <em>This story will be updated. </em>