TAMPA, Fla. — Hillsborough County Deputy Abigail Bieber is remembered as a dedicated professional with the sheriff's office, someone who had the demeanor of a veteran law enforcement officer despite her age, the agency said in a statement.
The 30-year-old was found shot Saturday, Jan. 29, at a St. Augustine vacation rental home. It's believed a co-worker, Detective Daniel Leyden, shot her before killing himself after the two were heard arguing in a bedroom by fellow deputies on vacation with them.
Both were said to be in a romantic relationship.
"Deputy Abigail Bieber was an outstanding law enforcement officer, and by all accounts, an even better person who left a positive impact on every member of her squad and the countless members of our community who she encountered while on patrol," Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.
"This tragedy has left our Sheriff's Office family grief-stricken. There is a void within our hearts that can never be filled, but I hope that Deputy Bieber's legacy will be the way she lived her life, as a selfless servant."
Bieber, who's been with the sheriff's office since February 2018, frequently was on calls for service related to sexual battery and child abuse, the agency said, adding that she one day wished to become a detective within the Criminal Investigations Division Special Victims Section.
She was a bright spot in a dark world, one co-worker said. With a "contagious smile," Bieber was kind, genuine and caring, the sheriff's office added.
"Co-workers also described Deputy Bieber as a young woman with a positive attitude who never shied away from tough investigations," the agency said in a news release.
Funeral arrangements for Bieber have not yet been finalized.
Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis is urged to reach out for help. You can contact the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay at 211 or call 911. The National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached 24/7 at 800-799-7233. Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.