23-078 Deputy Arrested After Sending Threatening Communications to Wife
Deputy Arrest
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Investigative Operations Bureau
-Threat Management Unit
Professional Standards Bureau
-Administrative Investigations Division
Deputy Marquis Fitzgerald (Suspect – Arrested)
Age: 31
Date of Hire: 12/17/2018
Charge: One count of Written Threats to Kill or do Bodily Harm
PINELLAS COUNTY – A Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office deputy was arrested for sending electronic threats to kill or do bodily harm.
On May 4, 2023, Deputy Marquis Fitzgerald was placed on Administrative Leave without Pay after an investigation began concerning text messages Fitzgerald sent to his wife due to infidelity issues. Fitzgerald sent his wife photos of shooting target silhouettes riddled with bullet holes. Fitzgerald insinuated harm toward the person with whom his wife was having an affair. Fitzgerald then sent a text message to his mother-in-law stating, “Come get your daughter before I kill her.”
Fitzgerald was placed on administrative leave without pay, pending the outcome of the investigation. Fitzgerald’s actions did not constitute a crime at that time and there was no probable cause for his arrest. Nonetheless, when Fitzgerald was placed on administrative leave for agency policy violations, all of his agency issued firearms were collected from him, he was required to surrender his agency credentials, and any authority to act as a deputy sheriff was revoked.
While still on unpaid administrative leave from the May 4, 2023 incident, detectives learned that on May 27, 2023, Fitzgerald sent a video to his wife that he found on the internet. The video depicts a man and woman engaged in sexual intercourse in a bedroom when a fully clothed male walked in with a large knife and began stabbing the man and woman. It is believed the man doing the stabbing in the video caught the woman engaged in infidelity with the other male. The male victim in the video fled, and it is believed from the video that the woman was murdered and died. Fitzgerald sent corresponding messages to his wife with the video stating, “I just wanted you to see what some people do when that happens. There are crazy people in this world.” Fitzgerald’s wife responded by expressing her fear of him. Fitzgerald then directed her to delete the video and related messages.
On May 31, 2023, detectives arrested Fitzgerald for the felony offense and he admitted to sending the video and messages to his wife.
Fitzgerald was transported to the Pinellas County Jail without incident. While at the jail, the Administrative Investigations Division placed Fitzgerald on notice that he was the subject of administrative investigation for additional policy violations. Fitzgerald then resigned his employment with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office in lieu of termination.
The investigation continues.
