On June 12, 2014, 62-year-old Gale Sikora was killed in an ambush-style shooting at her West Kendall, Florida home. The attack occurred in the early morning and also claimed the life of her 23-year-old son, Anthony Sikora. A man identified as Ronnie Candelaria, a friend of Anthony’s, arrived armed with multiple weapons, including an AK-47 and a Glock 10mm, and more than 300 rounds of ammunition. After failing to shoot through the front door, he blasted through the sliding glass doors in back to gain entry. Once inside, Gale Sikora was shot on the staircase; Candelaria then entered Anthony’s room and shot him multiple times.

Investigators reported that Candelaria had a history of schizophrenia and had recently experienced a decline in his mental health. He told police he was hearing voices instructing him to kill, believed Anthony was the devil, and cited violent media as an influence. Candelaria was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery, held without bond. Gale Sikora was a nurse at Baptist Hospital and remembered by colleagues as a compassionate caregiver.