Elderly couple found dead inside Martin County home

PORT SALERNO, Fla. — An elderly couple was found dead Friday inside their home in Martin County in an apparent double homicide, according to the sheriff's office.

Detectives and investigators are at a home in the 5500 block of SE Hull St. in the Rocky Point community of Port Salerno.

A friend of the couple, identified as Donald and Lorraine Smith, said they had not heard from them. Around 8:50 a.m., the friend went to the home, found the victims' bodies and called 911.

Deputies arrived and said they found the Smiths' bodies in a living room with clear signs of trauma.

There are no immediate signs that someone broke into their home.

Sheriff William Snyder said the couple's silver 2007 Lincoln sedan on Jefferson Street in the Golden Gate neighborhood of Stuart.

Martin County Sheriff's Office

Investigators served a search warrant Friday inside the home.

"They were a nice quiet couple. They did a lot for the community, helped repave this street. Pretty much, pretty quiet and (kept) to themselves," neighbor Paul Crowley said.

The crime scene rattled neighbors who have known the couple for decades. Many people came by throughout the day worried about their own safety.

“I’m trying walk a balanced line here. I don’t want to send a false message you have nothing to worry about, nor do I want to heighten fears. I can tell you this, we have two dead people, both of whom have trauma. I think it's only reasonable everyone in this neighborhood until we have an absolute sense of what happened, use heightened and reasonable precautions for their own safety," Snyder said.

The sheriff is asking anyone who can help in the case to call them. Deputies want to know if anyone has seen or knows anyone who was driving the couple's Lincoln over the last couple of days.

The vehicle has been towed from the scene and will be processed for evidence, investigators said.