THE YEAR THAT WAS: Top 100 Stories of 2025 in Central Florida: No's 6-10

By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer

ORLANDO, Fla. -- For better or for worse, these were the Top 100 stories in 2025 in Central Florida in The Year That Was. This segment: Nos. 6-10. Here, it's all about top cops - Osceola Sheriff Marcos Lopez getting arrested, Volusia Sheriff failing in recruitment hires while trying to show up NYC's new mayor, Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma showing real leadership, and upgrades in Edgewater titles.

Nos. 11-15, 16-20, 21-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60, 61-80, and 81-100 are archived at the end of this segment.

6. BREAKING NEWS: Gov. Ron DeSantis suspends Osceola County Sheriff Marcos R. Lopez from office after Jan. 5 arrest on gambling & racketeering charges

Photos for Headline Surfer / LEFT: Osceola County Sheriff Marcos R. Lopez is arrested in uniform at his office in Kissimmee on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2025, on multiple felony counts of gambling and racketeering and suspended from office by Gov. Ron DeSantis. BELOW: The governor has appointed Christopher A. Blackmon, the Central Region Chief for the Florida Highway Patrol, to serve as Osceola County sheriff. BELOW: The former Eclipse in Osceola County is where Lopez's gambling enterprise allegedly took place. BELOW: Marcos Loez is shown in full uniform in this undated pic prior to his arrest.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Osceola County Sheriff Marcos R. Lopez has been suspended from his elected office by Gov. Ron DeSantis following his Jan. 5 arrest on state racketeering and conspiracy charges earlier today.

Lopez, 56, was transported to the Lake County Jail, where he was being held without bail.

The governor has appointed Christopher A. Blackmon, the Central Region Chief for the Florida Highway Patrol, to fill the county law enforcement office.

A 35-year law enforcement veteran, Blackmon leads over 850 sworn troopers and 95 civilian employees. Blackmon is the Florida Highway Patrol Statewide Immigration Incident Commander for all 67 Counties.

Lopez, elected sheriff in 2020 and re-elected in 2024, faces one count of Racketeering, a first-degree felony under section 895.03(3), Florida Statutes, and one count of Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering, a first-degree felony under section 895.03(4), Florida Statutes. The Fifth Judicial Circuit is bringing the charges. If convicted of the racketeering charge, Lopez faces up to 30 years in prison.

Here is a summary of the state's allegations against Lopez following his arrest on charges of racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering:

Osceola Sheriff Marcos Lopez / Headline Surfer • In 2023, a multi-agency investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and joined by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) was launched.

• Officials say the investigation uncovered a criminal organization operating an illegal gambling enterprise throughout Central Florida, particularly in Lake and Osceola counties. Officials say the organization generated more than $21.6 million in illicit proceeds.

• Following Lopez’s election as Osceola County Sheriff in November 2020, investigators say he continued to advance the interests of the criminal organization and collected a portion of the illegal gambling proceeds for his involvement.

"This is a solemn day for Florida and our law enforcement community. We put great trust in our constitutional officers, especially those who are our communities' first line of defense," Uthmeier said. "However, the law must be applied equally, regardless of position, power, or branch of government. Public servants should never exploit the public's trust for personal gain."

Following his election as Osceola County Sheriff in November 2020, Lopez continued to advance the interests of the criminal organization and collected a portion of the illegal gambling proceeds for his involvement, the state authorities allege. In 2023, a multi-agency investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and joined by the FDLE uncovered a criminal organization operating an illegal gambling enterprise throughout Central Florida, particularly in Lake and Osceola Counties. The organization generated more than $21.6 million in illicit proceeds.

Lopez was sworn in as Osceola County sheriff on Jan. 5, 2021, on the steps of Osceola County’s Historic Courthouse. He made history by becoming the first Hispanic sheriff in the State of Florida.

7. Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood actively recruited NYC cops to work for him after the election of Zohran Mamdani as mayor, but at year's end, had zero hires

Photos for Headline Surfer / Despite active recruitment of New York City cops after Mayor Zohran Mamdani's election victory, including around-the-clock electronic billboards in Times Square, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood has failed to recruit anyone to work for him.

Following the election of Zohran Mamdani as New York City mayor in November 2025, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood launched a public recruitment campaign aimed at NYPD officers, including a large digital billboard in Times Square, but had zero new hires at year's end.

The Campaign: Immediately following the Nov. 4, 2025, election, Chitwood posted on Facebook and bought Times Square billboards inviting NYPD officers to "take a look at how we're getting the job done" in Florida.

Previous Hires: In November 2025, Chitwood noted that he already had "three or four retired NYPD folks" working for him at the Volusia Sheriff's Office, but came up empty with recruiting full-time NYC cops to work for him

Recruitment Strategy: The campaign highlighted a $5,000 sign-on bonus through the Florida Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus for full-time hires from New York City's police Department, having targeted officers dissatisfied with the election results.

Projected Openings: At the time of the announcement in November 2025, Chitwood mentioned having nearly two dozen full-time deputy openings in the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.

Here is more about Chitwood's failed recruitment from a post on Reddit:

Chitwood has a bold message for New York police officers: Move to Florida.
The Volusia County Sheriff's Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports recruiting and funding efforts alongside the Volusia County Sheriff's Office, has purchased billboards in the heart of New York City – Times Square, encouraging New York Police Department officers to move to Florida.
"Dear NYPD, Sunny Florida is waiting," reads one ad, followed by a QR code that directs to VSO's career page.
"Serve a community that appreciates you," read another.
The Volusia Sheriff's Office posted a photo of the billboard on its Facebook page and said it would be shown 80 times a day through January 31, 2026, which, based on our math, would be more than 6,000 times over the span of nearly 80 days.
"Wherever you’re coming from, if you’re a great cop, then Sunny Florida is a fantastic place to start your next chapter," read the post.
VSO said the money used to buy the ads was paid for by the foundation, not tax dollars.
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood has been critical of New York's November mayoral election, where voters elected Zohran Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist.
Sheriff Chitwood has touted the Florida Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Payment Program – launched in 2022 – that gives a one-time $5,000 bonus—after taxes—to newly employed officers in Florida. Through the program, more than $58 million has been distributed, according to an August press release.
"I encourage NYPD officers to look into that," Chitwood said. "You're going to get support here, and you're going to have a tremendous quality of life."
Chitwood, a transplant himself – who previously worked for departments in Philadelphia and Shawnee, Oklahoma – also said to doctors, nurses, and teachers, why not take a look at us?

The pay is far inferior, and Chitwood's management style is two of the big reasons he has no takers from the Big Apple, say insiders.

"Mike Chitwood is a joke with a loud mouth who calls people names," retired Pasco County Sheriff Jim Gillum, now living in DeLand, and was among four who ran against Chitwood in 2016, told Headline Surfer. "He's got a bad reputation everywhere. Why would a New York City cop want to uproot their family to work for him? He's had a bunch of openings for years."

"Mike Chitwood is a joke with a loud mouth who calls people names," retired Pasco County Sheriff Jim Gillum (shown here at left), now living in DeLand, and among four who ran against him in 2016, told Headline Surfer. "He's got a bad reputation everywhere. Why would New York City cops want to uproot their families to come work for him? He's had a bunch of openings for years."

Chitwood has been the Sheriff of Volusia County since his swearing-in on Jan. 3, 2017. Having won re-election in 2020 and 2024, he is currently serving his third term. Before becoming sheriff, he was the police chief in Daytona Beach for 10 years.

An email left for Chitwood has gone unanswered.

8. Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma elected president of the Florida Sheriff's Association

Photo for Headline Surfer / Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma was elected and sworn in as President of the Florida Sheriffs Association (FSA) for the 2025-26 term in late July 2025. He was announced for the position on July 30, 2025, and officially took the role to lead the organization representing Florida's 67 sheriffs.

SANFORD, Fla. -- Dennis Lemma has seen a steady rise in law enforcement stature statewide since he first won election as sheriff of Seminole County back in 2016.

Lemma won election as president of the Florida Sheriff's Association in early 2025, guiding the organization’s work among Florida’s 67 elected Sheriffs.

A US Marine Corps veteran and graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy, Lemma has been a statewide leader in combating substance abuse, chairing former Attorney General Ashley Moody's Opioid Abuse Working Group and First Lady Casey DeSantis’ Drug Abuse Prevention Panel.

Lemma has an impressive education pedigree as well: Besides graduation from the FBI's National Academy, he earned his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration from Columbia College; a Master of Arts in Administrative Leadership from the University of Oklahoma, a graduate of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's Chief Executive Institute, and he's a Leadership Florida Cornerstone Class 36 graduate.

Lemma also served as president of the Major County Sheriffs of America from 2022 to 2024.

In a statement, Lemma, who won re-election to a third term unopposed last June, called his elevation to FSA president “a great honor.”

“Leadership, at its core, is rooted in service, and I remain fully committed to supporting my fellow Sheriffs and the citizens of Florida with integrity and purpose,” Lemma said. “I look forward to working collaboratively with our board of directors and the professional staff at FSA to guide the Association’s initiatives and to ensure that the Office of Sheriff remains the bedrock of public safety for generations to come.”

“Leadership, at its core, is rooted in service, and I remain fully committed to supporting my fellow Sheriffs and the citizens of Florida with integrity and purpose,” Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma said. “I look forward to working collaboratively with our board of directors and the professional staff at FSA to guide the Association’s initiatives and to ensure that the Office of Sheriff remains the bedrock of public safety for generations to come.”

“Our mission is to support and strengthen the Office of Sheriff through education, training, and legislative advocacy,” FSA Executive Director Matt Dunagan said in a statement. “With Sheriff Dennis Lemma serving as President, the Association is well positioned to advance our vision of a safer, stronger Florida — driven by innovation, collaboration, and the unwavering commitment of our state’s Sheriffs.”

Lemma has been employed with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office since 1992, having risen in rank to chief deputy; was first elected as sheriff in 2016; and re-elected in 2020 & 2024.

Florida leaders have highly praised Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma for his proactive and comprehensive approach to the opioid crisis, frequently appointing him to state-level leadership positions to replicate his agency's success. His work is recognized for balancing strict law enforcement against dealers with innovative, treatment-focused initiatives, resulting in a significant reduction in overdoses within Central Florida.

Moody, in particular, has commended Lemma and the Seminole County Sheriff's Office for its "quick-thinking and expertise" in using naloxone (Narcan) to save lives.

Lemma's "playbook"—which includes widespread Narcan access, in-jail treatment, and post-overdose outreach—is cited as a model for reducing deaths, with data showing a 10% drop in overall opioid-related deaths in Florida in 2023.

Officials have especially praised Lemma's focus on pursuing first-degree murder charges against dealers who supply fatal doses.

9. Orlando man who fatally slashed the throats of two locals at 2022 Daytona Beach Bike Week sentenced to life in prison

Headline Surfer file photos / LEFT: Jean Robert Macean, now 35, an illegal immigrant from Haiti and living in Orlando before taking a bus to Daytona Beach for Bike Week in 2022, slashed the throats of 48-year-old Terry Aultman and 55-year-old Brenda Aultman, residents of Daytona Beach during the motorcycle rally, was sentenced on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, to life in prison in a plea agreement that spared him a possible death sentence, in Daytona Beach, Florida.

BELOW LEFT: The scenes from the 2022 Bike Week motorcycle rally were marred by the throat-slashing murders of the local married couple.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The Orlando Man who fatally slashed the throats of two locals during the 2022 Daytona Beach Bike Week will spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole.

In exchange for pleading no contest to two counts of first-degree murder, Jean Robert Macean, now 35, receives a life sentence for the rest of his life.

7A Throat Slash slayings at Bike Week / Headline Surfer Macean is an illegal immigrant from Haiti. However, prosecutors say he will serve his life sentence in a Florida prison because his crimes were committed here.

In a statement read by one of his attorneys, Macean said he was “very sorry for killing the Aultmans,” in a statement read in open court. The Autmans were murder victims, Terry Aultman and Brenda Aultman.

“I have suffered from mental illness for a long time,” Macean’s statement added. “I offer this information not as an excuse, but as a reason.”

Macean acknowledged in the statement that he “did a bad thing, but that is not who I normally am,” adding, “I know that your family will be hurting forever – I’m truly sorry. They did nothing that night to deserve to die.”

The office of State Attorney RJ Larizza had been pushing for a death sentence until a plea agreement was reached in court and accepted by Circuit Judge Elizabeth A. Blackburn. The death penalty was dropped due to a ruling on June 20, 2002, by the U.S. Supreme Court decided in Atkins v. Virginia that executing individuals with intellectual disabilities violates the Eighth Amendment's ban on cruel and unusual punishment, citing a national consensus and their reduced moral culpability.

Larizza's office did not issue a press release with a statement from him, a departure from his standard procedure with the media. Pressed further on the issue by Headline Surfer, who could not attend the hearing and wanted to ensure it had the correct information, his press liaison, Hailey Harrison, tersely responded that he was "sentenced to life in prison."

Throast-slash murders: When & where they happened

Photos for Headline Surfer / The Daytona Beach Police Command Center vehicle was moved from Main Street to the crime scene at nearby North Wild Olive and Riverview to deal with the grisly double homicide just after 12:15 a.m. Daytona Beach cops worked the crime scene. OTHER PICS: The 2022 Bike Week scene was in full swing.

The Aultmans were a local husband and wife on bicycles checking out the Bike Week scene on Main Street, who were found brutally murdered on a side street on Sunday, March 6, 2022 - both stabbed multiple times and their throats slashed, Daytona Beach cops said.

At first, police said they thought the man and woman might have been the victims of a hit-and-run until they made a disturbing discovery in the 700 block of North Wild Olive Avenue that proved otherwise:

The man was found face down and the woman face up -- their throats slashed. They were murdered in cold blood, literally. Large pools of blood covered the bodies and ran along the pavement.

Daytona Beach cops said the victims were riding their bikes home from Main Street when they were attacked early Sunday morning. What they have yet to determine is a motive for the double murder.

DBPD was first notified at 1:57 a.m. Sunday when a 9-1-1 call was made by a man described as a witness, prompting dispatchers to send officers to that location.

First responders found the bodies of 48-year-old Terry Aultman and 55-year-old Brenda Aultman, residents of Daytona Beach, covered in blood from multiple stab wounds and their throats slashed.

Paramedics declared both victims deceased at the scene within minutes of the initial 9-1-1 call.

Other neighbors called the police as well after they saw two people lying on the side of the road. The blood trail showed their bodies were dragged out from the road and onto the grass before the suspect ran off.

What was surreal yet oh so real was the grisly double homicide a block away from Main Street in the middle of the night, the husband-and-wife victims having left the festivities for their return home, but not making it.

Additional information was released in an email media alert to Headline Surfer by Daytona Beach Police PIO Messod Bendayan, who stated, "DBPD’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID) has spoken to the man who made the 9-1-1 call as well as a woman who was also on scene. Both claim they found the man lying face-down on his chest and the woman lying face-up on her back in a grassy area next to the sidewalk at the southeast corner of Wild Olive and Riverview."

Bendayan added that two bicycles near the bodies were collected and were being processed for evidence as part of this ongoing

Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young said the crime scene was among the most disturbing he's dealt with as a cop.

"This is probably one of the most vicious and gruesome incidents that I’ve witnessed in my 20 years," Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young said. "We can’t rule out that this may be totally random, but if it is totally random, the person responsible has to be deranged."

Who is the Orlando man arrested in shocking throat-slash murders?

Photo for Headline Surfer / Mugshot of Jean Robert Macean in 2022 arrest for the double murder of a Daytona Beach married couple whose throats he slashed during Bike Week.

Jean Robert Macean, now 35, is a Haitian immigrant who was first arrested in 2019 on drug charges, which were later dropped under former State Attorney Aramis Ayala’s supervision in circuit court in Orlando.

Macean, then 32, was apprehended at 5316 Point Vista Circle in Orlando around 11 a.m. Thursday, March 10, 2022, and was subsequently arrested on two counts of first-degree murder with a weapon in the slayings of a married couple who were found dead four days ago as they were heading home from Bike Week festivities on Main Street.

Macean's apprehension was by a task force comprised of United States Marshals Service members, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and the Orlando Police Department. He is being held without bond at the Orange County Jail in Orlando, pending extradition to Volusia County to stand trial on the murder charges.

The victims had both been stabbed repeatedly, and their throats were slashed in one of the most gruesome crime scenes Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young said he has seen.

“This was one of the most brutal murders I’ve ever seen in my 20-plus years as a police officer in Daytona Beach,” Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young said in a written statement released after Macean's arrest. “We want to thank the entire Daytona Beach community and the communities around us for providing our detectives with over 100 tips. We appreciate that level of cooperation in such a serious matter.”

The victims had both been stabbed repeatedly, and their throats were slashed in one of the most gruesome crime scenes Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young said he has seen.

“This was one of the most brutal murders I’ve ever seen in my 20-plus years as a police officer in Daytona Beach,” Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young said in a written statement released after Macean's arrest. “We want to thank the entire Daytona Beach community and the communities around us for providing our detectives with over 100 tips. We appreciate that level of cooperation in such a serious matter.”

Terry Aultman, 48, and his wife, 55-year-old Brenda Aultman, were discovered dead just before 2 a.m., Sunday, March 6, 2022, near the intersection of North Wild Olive Avenue and Riverview Boulevard.

The Aultmans were on their way home on bicycles from Bike Week festivities on Main Street -- the epicenter of the massive annual motorcycle rally that draws upwards of half a million revelers from all over the US and Canada -- but they never made it to their residence just a mile away.

“I thank our law enforcement partners for working with us to bring this man into custody,” Chief Young added. “I have full confidence that the justice system will do its job. I hope that this will help all of Terry’s and Brenda’s family, friends, and loved ones cope with their senseless loss.”

Editor's Note: Henry Frederick won three awards in the 2022 Florida Press Club statewide Journalism competition, including a 2nd-place award in Breaking News for these three stories:

• Breaking News: Sanford Cops: Student shot 3 times by fellow student with 9 mm handgun at Seminole High School today, but expected to survive; suspect in custody

• BREAKING NEWS: FBI now assisting DBPD: Wanted alleged gunman Othal Wallace shot Daytona Beach cop in the face

• Daytona Beach cops: Orlando man arrested in shocking throat-slash murders of local husband & wife on way home from Bike Week

10. Edgewater promotes Joe Mahoney & Charles Geiger to city manager and police chief, respectively

Photos for Headline Surfer / LEFT: Edgewater City Manager Joseph Mahoney and Police Chief Charles Geiger are shown.

EDGEWATER, Fla. -- This small bedroom city of 24,334 residents, immediately south of tourist-driven New Smyrna Beach, torn by political bickering at City Hall for years, saw some continuity in 2025, with the promotions of Joseph Mahoney and Charles Geiger to permanent positions as city manager and police chief, respectively.

The city has experienced significant political upheaval and leadership turnover ("musical chairs") in 2025–2026, driven by intense conflicts over development, flood management, and state-level legislative interference. Key events include a 3-2 vote defying a state law to keep a building moratorium, a change in top city management, and legal battles with developers. The promotions of Joe Mahoney (interim to permanent city manager) and Charles Geiger (interim to permanent police chief) were approved by elected city leaders to bring stability.

The city has experienced significant political upheaval and leadership turnover ("musical chairs") in 2025–2026, driven by intense conflicts over development, flood management, and state-level legislative interference. Key events include a 3-2 vote defying a state law to keep a building moratorium, a change in top city management, and legal battles with developers. The promotions of Joe Mahoney (interim to permanent city manager) and Charles Geiger (interim to permanent police chief) were approved by elected city leaders to bring stability.

Political Upheaval: Defying the State of Florida

Defiance of SB 180: In August 2025, the Edgewater City Council voted 3-2 to defy Senate Bill 180, a state law that banned local governments from enforcing building moratoriums, despite warnings from the city attorney that they risked lawsuit and removal from office by the Governor.
The Pro-Development vs. Anti-Flooding Divide: The council is sharply divided between trying to stop development in flood-prone areas (like the Florida Shores drainage basin) and adhering to state mandates that encourage development.
Accusations of Mismanagement: The city has been dealing with fallout from a 2024–2025 controversy where residents accused a city engineer of purposefully allowing homes to flood as retaliation

Musical Chairs: Leadership Turnover (2025–2026)

Interim City Manager Shuffle: In June 2025, Interim City Manager Jeffrey Thurman was reassigned to become the Interim Public Works Director.
Police Chief to City Manager: Joseph Mahoney, the Chief of Police since 2019, was appointed Interim City Manager on June 2, 2025, and later confirmed as the permanent City Manager in October 2025.
Police Leadership Changes: Following Mahoney's move, Captain Charles Geiger was appointed Interim Chief of Police in June 2025.
Council Election Results: In November 2025, incumbent Mayor Diezel Depew won re-election. Councilmembers Hannah Gay Keao, Joel Newton, and Lilly Steirer were re-elected, while Mark Stechschulte was elected to a two-year term.
City Attorney Exit: In early 2026, the city council voted not to renew the contract of the city attorney.

Key 2025–2026 Controversies

Lennar Homes Lawsuit: After fighting to stop a subdivision in a flood-prone area, the city was forced to settle with developer Lennar Homes in November 2025 following a court order.
City Hall Land Controversy: In early 2026, the council began looking into restoring a restriction on the historic City Hall deed that prevents the sale of the land, which was altered in 2015.
Political "Duress" and Tension: Council members have cited acting "under duress" due to state pressure, leading to chaotic meetings regarding the city's future development trajectory.

2025 was a bridge year to stability: On Oct. 6, 2025, Joseph Mahoney was elevated from interim to permanent city manager of Edgewater, with an annual salary of $135,000. He had previously served as interim city manager since June 2, 2025, following a leadership transition from his role as chief of police, which he had held since 2019.

Photo for Headline Surfer / Law enforcement with Edgewater PD is a common denominator of Charles 'Chas' Geiger and Joe Mahoney, shown here at left.

When Mahoney was promoted to interim city manager, Charles "Chas" Geiger, a captain in the Edgewater PD, was promoted to interim police chief on June 2, 2025. He was subsequently promoted to permanent police chief on Oct 13, 2025.

A lifelong resident and third-generation member of the Edgewater community, Geiger is known for focusing on community engagement, professional development, and innovation within the department. Since his hiring with Edgewater PD in 2011, Geiger has served in multiple capacities, including patrol, K9, Target Impact Unit, and special projects.

"I am honored, humbled, and excited to live out my dream of serving as chief of police for the City of Edgewater," Geiger told Headline Surfer. "EPD is made up of an amazing team of true professionals. I look forward to providing them with the best atmosphere to grow their careers while continuing to deliver the highest caliber of service to the citizens of this great city."

Mahoney praised Geiger's appointment, noting his dedication and leadership. "Chief Geiger represents the best of Edgewater: integrity, hard work, and commitment to community. His experience, vision, and deep connection to this city make him uniquely qualified to lead the Edgewater Police into its next chapter."