January 17, 2019
On January 12, 2019 members of the Levy County Sheriff’s
Office Uniformed Patrol Division and the Criminal Investigations Division
responded to a home in Bronson after receiving a report of sexual misconduct. The
caller told deputies she entered the living room area of the home and witnessed
Erik Donald (1-8-65) kneeling beside her sleeping family member who is under
the age of 18. The caller said she saw Donald had partially pulled the front of
his pants down and the front of her sleeping family member’s pants were also
pulled down. When Donald realized he was being watched he quickly pulled both
his pants and the sleeping child’s pants up and stated “it’s not what it looks
like.”
Donald fled the scene prior to law enforcement’s arrival.
Donald, who was recently released from the Florida Department of Corrections,
could not be found. An extensive search in the days following did not locate
Donald either.
On January 15, 2019 a Bronson resident using a trail through
a small section of woods located a subject hanging from a tree. Deputies
responded to this scene and identified the deceased person and Erik Donald.
Donald left a suicide note that had vague references to the earlier reported crime
which is still under investigation.
The sexual misconduct investigation is currently on-going
and the victim is receiving services to aid her through this process. The
investigation into Donald’s suicide has been closed as no evidence was located
which would indicate any other person was responsible or participated in his
death.