Two people were found dead inside a general store in south Apopka late Friday after police responded to a call for service just before 9 p.m., shutting down a stretch of West Michael Gladden Boulevard as detectives worked to determine whether the deaths involved a homicide or a possible murder-suicide.
Authorities have released few details about what happened inside Griffin General Store, a small neighborhood business at 262 W. Michael Gladden Blvd., and they have not announced arrests or identified suspects. Police said there is no known ongoing threat to the public, but officers planned an increased presence in the area as the investigation continues. The limited information has left neighbors and nearby workers searching for answers while investigators process evidence and wait for findings from the medical examiner.
Apopka police said officers were dispatched to the store at about 8:55 p.m. Friday. When they arrived, they found two people dead inside the business, police said. The department secured the property with crime-scene tape and blocked West Michael Gladden Boulevard between South Hawthorne Avenue and South Washington Street, a two-lane road lined with homes and small businesses near U.S. 441. “The scene remains secured as investigators process evidence and work to determine exactly what occurred,” the department said in a written update, adding that there was no known ongoing threat to the public.
Investigators did not immediately describe what prompted the call for service or who placed it. Police did not say whether the store was open to customers at the time, whether a weapon was recovered, or whether there were signs of a struggle. They also did not say if surveillance video from inside the business captured the moments leading up to the deaths. Detectives said they were working to establish a timeline of who was at the store in the hours before officers arrived and whether anyone entered or left before the scene was secured. Police said they are coordinating with the medical examiner, which is standard in death investigations, and that autopsy results and toxicology testing can take days or longer.
By Saturday, police said next-of-kin notifications had been completed, but the department still did not release names publicly and said details remained limited out of respect for the families involved. In a social media update echoed by local outlets, the department said detectives were actively following up on leads and processing evidence, and that “at this time, there are no concerns for public safety related to this incident.” The department did not provide a date for when it expects to share additional information, but investigators often wait to release specifics until early witness interviews are completed and preliminary medical findings are returned.
Residents said the store is a familiar stop for drinks, snacks and other basics, and the sudden police presence spread word quickly through the neighborhood Friday night. People who drove toward the area described being turned around at the closures as patrol cars filled the roadway. A local reporter at the scene described crime-scene personnel entering the store while detectives worked outside under bright lights. Some witnesses said they saw what appeared to be specialized personnel in protective gear moving in and out of the taped-off property as officers kept onlookers back from the building and directed traffic at nearby intersections.
While police have not confirmed identities, people who said they were close to the victims offered names as they waited for official confirmation. Family members who spoke with a reporter identified the dead as a woman named Schneita Swift and her brother, Ezra, according to accounts relayed in local coverage. Police have not publicly confirmed those names and have not said whether the two were related or how they were connected to the business. The store’s owner told a local outlet that one of the two had previously worked at the store, but authorities have not confirmed that detail or described any employment history connected to the case.
Friends and neighbors who gathered near the taped-off store described disbelief and grief in a close-knit part of south Apopka where many people recognize one another. Kizzy Ward, described by local reporting as a longtime friend of the family, said the two were known as kind people who kept to themselves. “She was a sweet girl. Her brother was a sweet dude. They didn’t bother anyone,” Ward said. “They were just lovable people.” Residents said the lack of official information fueled rumors, but many emphasized they were focused on supporting the family and letting investigators do their work.
A small memorial began forming outside the business as people stopped to leave items and share memories in quiet conversations near the entrance. Visitors paused at the edge of the tape, looking toward the building, then stepped back toward the roadside as traffic continued to roll along nearby streets. The scene underscored how a location tied to daily routines can quickly become a crime scene, residents said, with a visible line separating everyday life from the ongoing investigation. Police have not said how long they expect to keep the immediate area secured or when the store will be able to reopen.
Investigators said they are working through several unanswered questions that will shape how the case is classified. Police have not said whether the two deaths occurred at the same time or whether one person died earlier and was discovered later. They also have not described where inside the store the bodies were found, such as in the customer area or a back room, and they have not said whether the incident appears connected to violence, a medical emergency, or another event. Detectives typically seek to confirm timelines using receipts, phone records, messages and nearby door-camera footage, and police asked anyone with information from Friday night to contact the department or submit tips through Crimeline.
Apopka police said late Saturday that they did not have additional details to share beyond confirming that the investigation remained active. The next major milestone is expected to come from the medical examiner’s findings on the cause and manner of death, along with any police update that follows. Until then, the case remains defined by what investigators have not confirmed: how the two people died, what brought officers to the store, and whether any other person played a role. Police said they would provide updates as information becomes available and appropriate for release.
Author note: Last updated February 7, 2026.