Realtor Sheila Trott, Estranged Wife of former Mayor, Arrested in Beachside Slaying of Recovery Room Heart Nurse Kelly Brennan

Yesterday I wrote Asking Psychic Friends For Info in the Melbourne Beach Death of Nurse Kelly Brennan, whose body was found earlier this week.  John Torres of Florida Today reports: “Last night Brevard County sheriff’s agents arrested a 44-year-old Indialantic woman Wednesday evening in the killing of her former friend, a 46-year-old nurse.  Sheila Trott, a Realtor and the estranged wife of former Indialantic Mayor Daniel Trott, was taken into custody about 5 p.m. She was arrested on a charge of first-degree murder. Sheriff’s agents said there was a clear motive for the crime, but they would not reveal it.

Investigators said Sheila Trott killed Kelly Brennan, then dumped her body in Melbourne Beach. One of Trott’s family members contacted the Indialantic Police Department on Tuesday. The sheriff’s office handles murder cases in Indialantic.  “Crimes of passion are commonly the most disturbing cases to investigate,” said Cmdr. Doug Waller of the sheriff’s office. “In this case, there was a tremendous level of physical violence coupled with the fact that the victim and suspect were once close friends.”

The murder investigation continued to move forward Wednesday, especially after investigators located the victim’s 2001 Honda Passport at a condominium complex on Cato Court in Indialantic.  Lt. Tod Goodyear said forensics specialists spent the day processing evidence from the vehicle while others again searched Trott’s home.  Goodyear said other investigators were piecing together the timeline of Brennan’s death and the events that led to it.

Wednesday’s winds battered the yellow crime scene tape on the ends of Eighth Avenue in Indialantic between Shannon Avenue and South Palm Avenue. Sheriff’s deputies stood watch outside the light blue Key West-style house with green trim that investigators said was being considered one of several crime scenes.  “We either have completed or are in the process of forensically processing six separate crime scenes as related to this homicide investigation,” Waller said. “We will be discussing our investigative findings and conclusions with the state attorney’s office.”

Brennan was a registered nurse who co-workers said worked with patients recovering from heart surgery. Health First spokesman Elliot Cohen confirmed only that she worked at the hospital but would not say anything else about her employment. “We’ll defer any questions to the sheriff’s office,” Cohen said. The sheriff’s office became involved before news of the homicide. On Monday, concerned family members and friends advised deputies that Brennan had not been seen for hours. The next morning, 9-1-1 dispatchers received a call from a woman who said her daughter — Trott — had killed someone and disposed of the body.

Sheriff’s agents joined Indialantic police at Trott’s home, where they were given information that led them to Mark’s Landing in Melbourne Beach, where the body was found hidden beneath undergrowth.  On Wednesday, the medical examiner’s office ruled the death a homicide by blunt force trauma.  Trott is being held without bond.  Estranged from her husband, Brennan was living at 371 Cypress Ave. in Indialantic.  Trott is a Realtor who worked from her home.  According to court documents, former Mayor Daniel Trott and his wife were in the process of getting divorced.

Original article at Realtor arrested in beachside slaying, Woman, 44, is estranged wife of former mayor by John A. Torres • FLORIDA TODAY • February 18, 2010  Contact Torres at 242-3649 or jtorres@floridatoday.com  ### end of article

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