Elderly woman threatened to kill neighbour over placement of plants while wielding a can opener

A dispute over the placement of plants on the edge of a pond in the Florida retirement community landed a 79-year-old woman in the county jail. The woman’s 82-year-old neighbour called police. to report that she had been threatened.

According to the victim, she and her neighbour at the Fleet Landing retirement community near Jacksonville were having a dispute over large potted bushes that had been removed from an area near a pond on the property. Suspecting the victim, the woman reportedly entered the house through an unlocked front door and threatened to kill the victim while holding a metal can opener.



The victim said she’d recently had shoulder surgery and couldn’t move the pots. Meanwhile, a Fleet Landing security manager arrived and told police that the bushes were removed by management. Contact was made with the suspect, who gave police the can opener, but said she didn’t remembering issuing any threats. She was arrested for burglary and assault.

While in custody, the woman said she’d told another neighbour that she was so mad, she’d have fired a “few rounds” from her shotgun if she still had it. The other neighbour said she didn’t want to become involved. However, she confirmed that the suspect made a similar comment to her. The can opener was placed into evidence.