Detectives have arrested Caylen Deller, 30, and Tina Marie Lee-Ellis, 56, of Satsuma, in connection with the murder of Chad Mullen. Authorities say that Lee-Ellis turned herself in at the sheriff’s office on Thursday evening, where she was charged as an accessory to first-degree murder after the fact.
Deller was apprehended in Volusia County and faces a charge of first-degree premeditated murder with a firearm.
The investigation revealed a tumultuous, on-again, off-again relationship between Deller and Mullen.
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Family members noted that the two had ended their relationship prior to Mullen’s disappearance. He was reported missing on September 15, and a search warrant was issued on September 20 for Stormy Stables in San Mateo, a property owned by Deller and the last location where Mullen’s phone was traced.
A breakthrough in the case came on October 28, when a tip led detectives to an abandoned property on Federal Point Road in Hastings.
Forensic teams, including the St. Johns Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, uncovered Mullen’s body buried in freshly moved dirt. The medical examiner later confirmed Mullen’s identity and ruled the death a homicide.
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As the investigation progressed, suspicion centered on Deller and Lee-Ellis. A search of Lee-Ellis’s home in Satsuma on October 1 uncovered firearms, ammunition, and methamphetamine.
Although Lee-Ellis was not present at the time, she was later arrested on October 21 for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, as well as possession of methamphetamine.
The nature of the relationship between Deller and Lee-Ellis remains unclear, and detectives are continuing their investigation. Authorities are urging anyone with information about Mullen’s death to contact CrimeStoppers of Northeast Florida at 1-888-277-8477 or through the P3 app. Tips can be submitted anonymously.
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