Suspect of Thanksgiving Day homicide dead of self inflicted gunshot wound
Photo graphic courtesy of CCSO.
November 25, 2023
Murder suspect dead of believed self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Victim's dismembered body found inside the trunk of his own vehicle.
Inverness, Florida - On Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 23, 2023, the Citrus County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) responded to an urgent well-being check at a residence in the area of Poe Street and Eden Drive in Inverness, in response to a report that a murder had possibly taken place there.
When deputies arrived on scene, they knocked on the front door and announced themselves, but there was no answer. Checking around the exterior of the home, patrol deputies observed a large butcher style knife on the ground in the back yard, along with blood, and drag marks. Deputies believed that a crime had been committed, as the complainant had feared.
Deputies entered the home and found the suspect, 75 year-old Jonathan Dimick, Senior, sitting in the living room of his home with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his abdomen - alive, but unresponsive.
Emergency medical treatment was rendered to Mr. Dimick by members of Citrus County Fire Rescue, who transferred his care to the medical crew of a medical transport helicopter, which in turn transported him to an area hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
At Dimimck's home, deputies made the gruesome discovery of the dismembered body of 67 year-old James Banks, found in the trunk of his own vehicle.
"The scene our deputies responded to was absolutely shocking," said Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast. "It is rare that a case this horrific occurs in Citrus County, but this is what we prepare for. It is truly unfortunate that our suspect will never be prosecuted for this brutal crime; however, thanks to the caller's courage and our team's quick response, Mr. Banks' family can begin their grieving process with the knowledge that no one will ever again suffer by the hands of Mr. Dimick."