Two people are dead after a murder-suicide in Palm Coast’s W Section on Wednesday, Flagler Sheriff Rick Staly said on Thursday. 55-year-old Rakim-Shakur ‘David’ Brooks is said to have murdered his wife, 47-year-old Dawn Estrella, and then taken his own life at their home on Weyanoke Lane.
Two others were in the home at the time of the shooting: Estrella’s 19-year-old daughter and her 68-year-old mother. Neither of them were physically injured but were quite distraught from the experience. A one-page note was discovered in Brooks’s car, indicating that he planned the murder-suicide prior to carrying it out.
Multiple 911 calls were placed at around 10:18 p.m. on Wednesday. One was on the phone with one of the other occupants of the home when they heard gunshots and screaming. Another was in contact with another witness, who said they were hiding in a room and afraid to come out in case Brooks was waiting to harm them.
Wednesday’s murder-suicide followed several calls to law enforcement to respond to the home. In several of them the occupants claimed it was an accidental dial, which Staly doubted. In two others Brooks reportedly told deputies that he raped Estrella in an attempt to have himself arrested, but she did not corroborate this story and no physical evidence was found to justify an arrest.
Deputies found Brooks’s body with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, Staly said. The gun was reportedly a 9mm SCCY pistol. Estrella was found on a bed with multiple gunshot wounds. Life-saving measures were attempted until paramedics arrived, but Flagler County Fire Rescue declared her deceased at the scene at 10:34 p.m.
Staly described Brooks as someone with a known history of violence. He has 17 arrests with 22 felony charges and 10 misdemeanor charges. Per Staly, he’s had eight felony convictions and five misdemeanor convictions. These offenses were spread between Flagler County, St. Johns County, and Clay County, as well as Whitfield County, Georgia.
Working with Domestic Violence Victims
Also on-hand Thursday was Dr. Trish Giaccone, the Director & CEO of the Family Life Center, a local nonprofit for victims of domestic violence. Giaccone implored victims or witnesses of domestic violence to confidentially contact her organization or the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
Giaccone also called on more attention to be directed toward victim accountability versus the rationale of victims who don’t come forward. The Family Life Center is hosting a community conference on Friday, October 2 at the Daytona State College Palm Coast campus from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
As of Thursday, several key details of the shooting remain unclear. Detectives are still investigating to uncover how Brooks, a convicted felon, accessed a firearm. Staly said the gun was not reported stolen, but that theft is still possible. Witnesses reportedly said the couple, who were in the process of separating, were known to drink heavily and argue loudly but that nothing seemed especially different leading up to the shooting.
“This guy had a lengthy and violent history, but no amount of anger justifies taking someone else’s life,” Staly said. “I again want to emphasize that domestic violence has no place in our community. If you are in a violent or caustic relationship, I ask you to reach out for help. Reaching out may just save your life.”
Domestic Violence Resources
The Family Life Center can be contacted anonymously 24 hours a day at (386) 437-3505 by phone or text. The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office can provide resources and assistance to victims at (386) 313-4911. Victims in crisis are also able to text 911 if they feel a phone call would put them in danger. Further resources are available at flcfv.org/domestic-violence.
