Family of Charlotte County sergeant killed in line of duty visits growing memorial

Early Tuesday evening, the family of Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Elio Diaz visited the memorial for him that was built into a flower bed.

The memorial, located at the Chevron in Charlotte County where Sergeant Diaz died, saw many people over the past two days pay their respects. Both people who knew him and people who didn’t showed up and left various items.

The family of Diaz was escorted to the memorial by multiple CCSO vehicles and deputies. The deputies watched over the family during their time at the memorial.

More than 10 family members went. They hugged and cried and looked at the items many had brought in Diaz’s honor like Cuban coffee, a Tampa Bay Rays hat, numerous stuffed animals and police and sheriff badges from all over the country.

The family, robbed of a husband, a father of four, and a grandfather right before the holidays, brought numerous flower bouquets.

The family gave approval to the media to film but was not ready to speak to the media.

The visit comes just hours after the memorial got upgrades like a flower bed and barrier.

One man, who is part of a law enforcement family and didn’t personally know Diaz, came to the memorial to pay his respects. Brandon Beasley, a landscaper, left flowers but noticed weeds and ants had taken over the memorial.

Beasley wanted to do something to fix the ants and weeds problem. He quickly left and headed to Home Depot in Punta Gorda for supplies.

Once Home Depot learned what the plan was, they gave him all the materials for free which included the wood, six bags of mulch, the steaks and more flowers.

“My father was a deputy here in Charlotte County. The way I look at it is, they’re all family and friends to us. We have my mom as a dispatcher, and my uncle is a cop. So, I look at all the police officers around here have family. So, if this was a family member, which it is, I would want something nice, something that his family can come and enjoy themselves for the time being, bring flowers, you know, and just share some thoughts, some peace and something nice,” Beasley said.

He said his dad, a former Charlotte County deputy, was good friends with Diaz.

“It’s upsetting to him. He lost a good friend. You know, his family lost a good husband, father, grandfather,” Beasley said about his dad.

Beasley spent the majority of his Tuesday building, planting, and watering as he made the memorial more protected. It took him an hour and a half to make the flower bed built with love.

“He was a good soul. Never heard anything bad about him. And I really do feel for the family, the kids, you know, his parents. I feel for everybody involved,” Beasley said.

A CCSO deputy stopped by. He gave Beasley a hug and said thank you.

“It’s nothing that anybody needs to thank me for. It’s just out of the kindness. And you know it needed to be done. That’s the way I look at it,” Beasley said.