Florida Cop Tried to Kill Elderly Woman After Stealing Her Dog and Selling It on Craigslist, Officials Say

Police say a Florida sheriff’s deputy attempted to kill a woman whom he had been defrauding and whose dog he stole and sold on Craigslist.

Deputy Frankie Bybee, 46, was accused of defrauding a 79-year-old woman living in Sarasota after befriending her following a service call in October, Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight told reporters on Monday.

The deputy, who had worked with the department for 18 years, was put on administrative leave earlier in January after his fingerprint was discovered on checks totaling $65,000, which the woman said were fraudulently signed, the Associated Press reported.

After the woman alerted police about the defrauding, Bybee allegedly tried to kill her by forcing her to take pills, CBS News affiliate WTSP reported. He then tried to make her death look like a suicide.

Knight said the woman also gave Bybee her dog to look after while she was in the hospital, but that he sold it on Craigslist.

Bybee was held without bail on attempted murder and other charges. It was not immediately clear whether he has an attorney.