Woman dies in snorkeling incident

A 69-year-old Key West woman died Thursday following a snorkeling incident off Key West.

Karen Ruth Zaslow was snorkeling on Sand Key at approximately 2:30 p.m. with the charter boat Floridays when she began to struggle in the water.

She needed help to return to the vessel whereupon she became unresponsive.

The crew began CPR and the U.S. Coast Guard took her ashore.

She was taken to Lower Keys Medical Center on Stock Island where she was pronounced dead at 3:38 p.m.

Foul play is not expected to be a factor in the incident.

Autopsy results are pending.

Man arrested for assault

A 32-year-old Key Largo man was arrested Thursday after threatening his roommate with a switchblade knife.

Shay Robert Wagner was charged with aggravated assault, battery of a victim over the age of 65 and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.

Deputy Christopher Kilmurray responded to a residence on Sunset Road at approximately 8:30 p.m. regarding a theft. The 73-year-old victim stated he accused Wagner of stealing his pain medication.

The victim stated Wagner then pinned the victim against the refrigerator, pointed a switchblade knife at him and said, “If you call the police, I will kill you.”

Wagner was found to be in possession of a switchblade knife.

Wagner was convicted in 2021 of heroin possession in Monroe County.

Wagner was taken to jail.

Man arrested for burglary/gun theft

A 47-year-old homeless man was arrested Thursday for stealing a pistol from an unlocked pickup truck.

Michael Steven Murray of Key Largo (formerly of Mississippi) was charged with armed burglary of a conveyance, grand theft of a firearm and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The Sheriff’s Office responded to the Kmart parking lot in Key Largo on Feb. 27, 2022 at approximately 12:23 p.m. regarding the burglary of a pickup truck and theft of a Glock pistol and two loaded magazines.

A black bag that previously contained the gun was found near the parking lot. Detective Mathew O’Neill was assigned to investigate.

Security camera footage from several businesses all captured images of the suspect, later identified as Murray.

On Thursday, an employee from one of the businesses reported the suspect was back and sitting near Kmart.

Detective O’Neill responded.

Murray eventually confessed to stealing the gun and took Detective O’Neill to his campsite whereupon he turned it over to the Sheriff’s Office.

Murray has previous felony convictions in Mississippi.

Murray was taken to jail.

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