From Iceland — Icelandic Man Arrested For Murder In Florida

Icelandic Man Arrested For Murder In Florida

Published April 22, 2020

Sam O'Donnell
Photo by
Escambia County Jail

A 28-year-old Icelandic man was arrested and charged with murder in Pensacola, Florida, on Monday, April 20th. Police allege that the man shot and killed a guest in his home earlier that day. He is currently detained in Escambia County Jail.

Stefán Gíslason called authorities after 1:30 in the morning, and reported that his house guest, Dillon Shanks, had committed suicide. The 32-year-old victim was found in Stefán’s home with a gunshot wound to his neck. However, witness reports indicated that Dillon’s death was not a suicide.

One witness said that the two men had been arguing outside of the residence when Stefán brandished a firearm. When Dillon walked into the house, Stefán followed, and the witness reported hearing a gunshot. After hearing the gunshot, the witness found Dillon dead inside the home.

A second witness corroborated the first account, saying that Stefán had brandished a firearm during the argument outside. The second witness heard the gunshot as they were leaving the residence.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ civil service says it has not received any request for assistance in the case. According to Vísir, Stefán has apparently lived in the United States with his father for a long time.

As ever, those looking for more information or advice should go to the Icelandic Government’s excellent COVID-19 help page.

Tune into our daily COVID-Cast for a deeper dive into the day’s developments.

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