Florida Man Charged with Murdering Ex-Girlfriend

Travion Dean, a 22-year-old man from Fort Pierce, was arrested and charged with first-degree premeditated murder in connection with the shooting death of his ex-girlfriend, 20-year-old Aniya Sheppard. Sheppard's body was discovered on November 4, 2024, near Eber Road in West Melbourne, prompting an investigation by the Brevard County Sheriff's Office. Surveillance footage confirmed that Dean and Sheppard were together shortly before the shooting, having left a motel together via rideshare. After the incident, Dean contacted another rideshare service to return to the motel alone, carrying Sheppard's belongings. He was apprehended in Fort Lauderdale upon returning from Jamaica on January 2, 2025, and is currently being held without bond. Sheppard's mother has expressed her grief, describing her daughter as a kind-hearted individual.