ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (Court TV) — A detective testified at a bond hearing that a former Florida deputy tried to use his dead wife’s phone to stage an alibi and make her death look like a suicide.

Anthony Shea, 49, is charged with the first-degree murder of his wife, Eloida “Ellie” Shea, 39, who was found dead from a single gunshot wound in the family’s home on Oct. 14, 2024. Days later, police surmised that what Anthony reported as a suicide was actually a homicide and arrested him.

Anthony Shea appears at his bond hearing Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (Court TV)

Detective Christopher Gilberti of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office took the stand during Anthony’s bond hearing, detailing the investigation into the death of Ellie, a fellow law enforcement officer.

Gilberti said deputies responded to the couple’s residence at 2:18 p.m. after Anthony called 911, reporting his wife had been shot.

Body camera footage showed Anthony with blood on his clothes and hands, performing CPR on his wife who was found on the floor at the foot of their bed.

The detective testified that Anthony’s account of events changed between two interviews. Initially, Anthony said he found his wife on her side of the bed, closest to the window, lying on her back with her head against the headboard. In the second interview, he said he pulled her to the floor to perform CPR.

Regarding the firearm found at the scene, Anthony first told investigators he did not touch the weapon. Later, he said he moved the gun to pull his wife off the bed and tossed it somewhere on the bed.

Timeline reveals marital troubles

Evidence presented included data from the couple’s smart lock, cell phone extractions, and surveillance video that helped investigators construct a timeline of events. The timeline showed the couple had been experiencing significant relationship problems.

Gilberti testified that Anthony told him they were “having relationship troubles” because he had been caught cheating. The night before Ellie’s death, the couple attended church, had an argument that continued until 3 a.m., then had sex before falling asleep.

The next morning, Ellie called in sick to work. At some point, Anthony told investigators that Ellie — mentally exhausted from arguing the night before — asked him to take their daughters to Publix, Gilberti testified.

Phone records showed that at 12:46 p.m., Ellie conducted an internet search for “I’m a cop and my husband sexually assaulted me.” About 45 minutes later, investigators believe Anthony sent a text from Ellie’s phone to his saying, “I can’t do this anymore. Please understand, it’s too much what you did to me. I can’t take anymore. Take the girls for a drive. Give me space please.”

Then, three seconds later, Gilberti said investigators believe Anthony inadvertently activated the audio recorder on Ellie’s phone, starting a 54-minute recording that was never sent.

Gilberti testified that no gunshots are heard on the recording, just the sound of Anthony’s voice telling his children that mom is asleep moments before he allegedly opened the door and discovered her dead body.

Security camera footage showed Anthony and his daughters at Publix, Gilberti testified. During that time, cell phone records indicate Anthony sent Ellie a calendar invite for a marriage counseling appointment a few days later.

Previous incident revealed

The detective testified about a previous incident in August 2024 when Anthony disappeared for at least a day. According to witness testimony, during a family movie night, Anthony gave his wife what she thought were vitamins but may have been sleeping pills. When she woke up, she allegedly found him masturbating with their children present.

Lt. Eloida ‘Ellie’ Shea was shot and killed on Oct. 14, 2024. Her estranged husband is charged with her murder. (Orange County Sheriff’s Office)

This incident led to Ellie sharing voice notes with a friend, expressing her distress about the situation and calling her husband a “narcissist” who doesn’t respect her. She also referenced a recent officer suicide within the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigative findings

Gilberti said he interviewed approximately 15 people who knew Ellie, and none described her as suicidal. Instead, witnesses said she was looking forward to the next chapter of her life and was adamant about wanting a divorce.

The detective testified that while Anthony was hoping to repair their relationship and did not want a divorce, Ellie was requiring him to move out as part of the pending divorce proceedings so their daughters could remain in the family home.

Forensic analysis suggested Anthony’s profile is consistent with evidence found on the firearm’s trigger, Gilberti testified, though he had acknowledged Anthony admitted to touching the gun regularly.

During cross-examination by defense attorney Mark O’Mara, the detective confirmed that Anthony never denied touching the firearm that day and that his DNA being present was not surprising given his regular handling of the weapon.

In a ruling posted Friday, Judge Lise Munyon denied bond for Anthony.

This story was reported by Emanuella Grinberg and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.