Port Saint Lucie, Florida, investigators had no known suspects for the tragic death of resident 67-year-old Francis Gennace. The man was brutally attacked on September 12, 2024 inside the front door of his home while his wife was out of town.
Police believed that Gennace had been attacked with a hammer upon answering the front door. Once inside, the suspect continued his attack with a knife, ultimately ending Gennace’s life.
“Most homicides, the suspect and the victim know each other. So there’s a motive, a reason for killing,” said Port St. Lucie Police Assistant Chief Leo Niemczyk.
“In this case, there is none. The suspect did not know the victim of the homicide, and he didn’t know the people that he was attempting to break into their house. So that’s a completely random act.”
Just 12 days later and five miles from Gennace’s home on September 20, 2024, police were called regarding a suspicious man holding a hammer at a resident’s front door. The woman told investigators that the man was looking through her window while knocking.