ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
SOUTH FORT MYERS, Fla. Ryan Modell’s last moments in Southwest Florida were supposed to be spent at pool parties with his girlfriend and friends. Modell, 32, was an Orlando native planning to return to Central Florida to start a career chosen in memory of his mother. “When his mother passed away a few years ago (from arrhythmia) he had decided he wanted to do something that would prevent that from happening to other people,” said Sandy Modell, Ryan’s father. Ryan Modell was killed on March 20, 2016, after he was shot while inside a South Fort Myers gated community. The shooter, James Steven Taylor, said he did it in self-defense. State prosecutors sided with Taylor last month and did not file charges. Modell’s family plans to petition Gov. Rick Scott to reassign the case to a different jurisdiction. A water hose, then a fatal shot Ryan Modell and his girlfriend Kristin Westlund, (Source: Lee County Sheriff’s Office) Modell was inside the right gated community, but at the wrong condominium. His girlfriend, Kristin Westlund, owned a condo inside the Emerson Square community for 10 years and knew nearly every resident. But she didn’t know Taylor, a 45-year-old U.S. Army veteran, who at the time recently relocated from North Carolina. It was clear Modell was drunk and showed up at Taylor’s door by mistake, according to statements and a 911 call from Taylor’s wife, Patrice. “He’s got his apartments confused…they all look the same,” she told an emergency dispatcher. James Taylor went for his gun after hearing banging at his door sometime after 2 a.m. Here’s what happened next, according to Taylor’s sworn statement: James Taylor following the fatal shooting (Source: Lee County Sheriff’s Office) Taylor went to the door to tell Modell to leave, but Modell rushed the door and cut his toe. Taylor later went outside to ensure Modell left. Modell charged back towards the door where Taylor’s wife was standing. Taylor told his wife to lock the door and contact police. Modell then backed Taylor out onto the street. Taylor, with a gun in hand, points it at Modell and tells him he is armed. Modell found a water hose on the side of Taylor’s garage. A neighbor told investigators “a younger gentleman” was shouting expletives and spraying water at Taylor out in the street. Modell then dropped the water hose and rushed Taylor, which forced the two men further up the street and in front of an adjacent home, Taylor said. Taylor then shot Modell once in the chest. “I didn’t think I had an ass-whooping coming,” he told investigators. “I thought this kid was going to kill me.” Taylor asked for a lawyer right after the shooting. He didn’t talk to detectives until nearly two weeks later. Aerial view of the crime scene at Emerson Square condominiums (Source: Lee County Sheriff’s Office) Story inconsistencies? James and Patricia Taylor’s front door. (Source: Lee County Sheriff’s Office) Lee County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Anthony Perfetto, in a sworn statement, said that Taylor told him that night he retrieved his gun after closing the door on Modell. LCSO Det. Erik Hurd later asked Taylor why he left his residence. “I mean, am I required to stay in the house,” he said. Detectives asked about the location of the shooting in reference to Taylor’s front door. “But as far as your safety and your family are concerned, that’s here,” LCSO Sgt. John Desrosiers said. ” We’re now over here, removed, you know — basically removed from that danger, separated by another house.” Taylor said once he was forced from his door, he was within close proximity to Modell, which placed him in danger. But in the 911 call Taylor’s wife made, she said her husband was in the driveway, but later said he was back inside the home. Here’s a recording of the 911 call: *You can also click HERE to listen to the call. http://winknews.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/Patrice-Taylor-911-call.wav Deciding not to prosecute State prosecutors discussed the possible inconsistencies, according to a “close out memo” from the agency, but decided they were not enough to prove a crime had occurred. “In the review of the case, it didn’t matter from my legal review because clearly within the driveway and clearly on the side of the house Modell is coming towards the homeowner,” said Dan Feinberg, a homicide assistant state attorney. There was no obligation for Taylor to stay in his home when he felt the need to protect his residence and wife, Feinberg said. “We completed a full and comprehensive review of the case and made our opinions and made our findings, and that’s what we stand by,” he said. Taylor’s attorney, Robert Harris, said his client will not comment on the case at this time. Below is WINK News investigative reporter Lauren Sweeney’s full interview with Feinberg: Submit Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.