Dead skydiver found on front lawn of Florida home: "The worst I've seen"

Detectives are investigating after a skydiver was found dead in the front yard of a residence near an airpark in Florida, authorities said Saturday.

A man outfitted in parachute attire and gear was located just before 12:30 p.m. on the lawn of a home in Titusville, about 50 miles east of Orlando, police said in a statement. The Titusville Fire Department responded and said the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police on Monday identified the victim as 69-year-old Frederick C. Morello, of Ormond Beach, CBS affiliate WKMG reported.

A neighbor's surveillance video captured an SUV window's reflection, showing the skydiver descending before making a hard landing on the lawn, WKMG reported.

A skydiver died Saturday near an airpark in Titusville, according to firefighters. https://t.co/psqBj0KUnX

— News 6 WKMG (@news6wkmg) October 8, 2023

James Sconiers told WKMG the man landed in his front yard.

"I was asking the person that was laying on the ground, 'Hey man can you hear me, can you hear me?' But he did not answer," Sconiers told the station.

Sconiers told WKMG the incident left him with questions.

"Look at the video and look at what happened. Why did he fall so hard if all the safety mechanism was in place? Something tells me there's a problem there," he said.

Nicole Lacount told WKMG that when she heard a fire truck and ambulance, she went outside of her aunt's house and saw the parachutist on the ground.

"I work in the medical field. That's the worst I've ever seen," she told the station.

The Skydive Space Center is just a few blocks away. The center had no comment when WKMG asked if the parachutist came from their company.

Police said the investigation is ongoing.

In:
• Death
• Florida

Stephen Smith

Stephen Smith is a senior editor for CBSNews.com.