Man sent $200K to Bulgarian woman he met online before killing parents, brother, deputies say Arrest warrant describes relationship between murder suspect and his family Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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WEBVTT BROTHER AT A HOME IN SEMINOLE COUNTY. GRANT AMATO WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY EARLY THIS MORNING AND IS NOW HELD ON NO BOND. WESH 2’S KELLY RIPPIN HAS THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS FROM DEPUTIES KELLY: THE CHULUOTA HOME IS STILL AN ACTIVE CRIME SCENE TONIGHT, WITH OFFICERS AND INVESTIGATORS STILL PROCESSING THE HOME. BUT NEW INFORMATION GIVES DETAILS ON WHAT UNFOLDED BEFORE THIS TRAGEDY. GRANT AMATO’S PUBLIC DEFENDER SAYS THE STATE HAS LITTLE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE TO TIE THE 29-YEAR-OLD TO THE CASE. >> YOU KNOW, BLOOD STAINS, WEAPONS, DNA, THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT PUT HIM THERE AT THE TIMES OF THE DEATHS OF THE FAMILY, I DON’T SEE ANY OF THAT. KELLY: BUT THE ARREST WARRANT DETAILS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GRANT AMATO AND HIS FAMILY. AMATO SAYS HE WAS KICKED OUT OF THE HOUSE THE NIGHT BEFORE THE BODIES WERE DISCOVERED BECAUSE OF HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH A BULGARIAN WOMAN HE MET ONLINE. THROUGH INTERVIEWS, INVESTIGATORS LEARNED AMATO MET THE WOMAN ON AN ADULT WEBSITE, AND HAD STOLEN APPROXIMATELY $200,000 FROM THE FAMILY TO SEND TO HER. THE REPORT GOES ON TO SAY THE FAMILY CONVINCED AMATO TO GO TO AN INTERNET AND SEX ADDICTION PROGRAM OVER THE HOLIDAYS AND INTO THE NEW YEAR. WHEN HE RETURNED TO THE HOME ON SULTAN CIRCLE -- -- CIRCLE, HE WAS PRESENTED WITH A TWO-PAGE LIST HE WOULD NEED TO FOLLOW TO REMAIN AT THE HOUSE. AMONG THOSE RULES, HE WAS NO LONGER ALLOWED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE WOMAN HE CALLED HIS GIRLFRIEND. AMATO TOLD INVESTIGATORS HE CONTINUED TO TALK TO HER, AND HIS FATHER FOUND OUT ABOUT THE COMMUNICATION ON THURSDAY AND TOLD HIM TO LEAVE THE HOUSE. WHEN CODY AMATO, GRANT’S OLDER BROTHER, DIDN’T SHOW UP FOR WORK FRIDAY, HIS COWORKER AND GIRLFRIEND REQUESTED A WELLNESS CHECK AT THE SULTAN CIRCLE HOME. FRIDAY MORNING, DEPUTIES FOUND THE BODIES OF 61-YEAR-OLD MARGARET AMATO, HER 59-YEAR-OLD HUSBAND, CHAD, AND THEIR 31-YEAR-OLD SON, CODY. GRANT AMATO WAS FOUND AT A LOCAL HOTEL OVER THE WEEKEND, BUT NOT OFFICIALLY CHARGED UNTIL THIS MORNING. AMATO IS FACING THREE COUNTS OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER. IN SEMINOLE COUNTY, KE

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