Tampa Teen Accused of Killing Parents
A teenager in Tampa has been accused of killing their parents and shooting a sheriff's deputy. The incident has shocked the local community, and details are still emerging as the investigation continues.
The incident began late Saturday night when Rebecca Ann Themelis, 48, made a frantic 911 call stating her son, 19-year-old Christos Alexander Themelis Jr., had just shot her husband, 51-year-old Christos Byron Themelis. The dispatcher could hear gunshots in the background while on the line with her. When Hillsborough County Sheriff's deputies arrived at the home on Cactus Wren Place, they found Themelis Jr. outside with his mother. As officers pleaded with him, he fatally shot his mother on the front lawn before opening fire on the deputies. A shootout ensued, during which Deputy Shane McGough, 26, was struck in the leg. His fellow officers immediately applied a tourniquet and he was rushed to a local hospital in stable condition. Four other deputies returned fire, wounding Themelis Jr. before he retreated back into the house. The Sheriff's Office SWAT team was deployed and used a robot to enter the home. Inside, they found the suspect's father, Christos Byron Themelis, already deceased from gunshot wounds. Themelis Jr. was also found dead inside the residence. Initial reports from the sheriff's office suggested Themelis Jr. died from injuries sustained during the exchange of gunfire, while other reports stated his death was from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Sheriff Chad Chronister revealed that the suspect had previous run-ins with law enforcement and had his guns taken away from him in the past. There had been at least 10 calls for service to the family's residence since 2021.
