Mandy Fackler Obituary, HUDSON, Fla. — Mandy Fackler, a Pasco County mother of two, was killed Monday in what authorities described as a domestic violence incident involving Pinellas County Sheriff’s Deputy Troy Savetz. Savetz, 47, was later found dead alongside Fackler inside a vehicle in Spring Hill, with authorities reporting that he had died by suicide.
According to Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco, Fackler and her two children, ages 9 and 12, had recently returned from a trip to the beach when they arrived at their home in Hudson and encountered Savetz in the front yard. Authorities said Fackler and Savetz had been involved in a tumultuous, on-again, off-again relationship.
An argument reportedly began between Fackler and Savetz over a television. During the confrontation, authorities said Savetz took Fackler’s cellphone when she attempted to call 911. Fackler then instructed her children to run inside the home and contact emergency services. The children followed her instructions and provided dispatchers with information that assisted law enforcement in responding to the situation.
Officers were dispatched to the Hudson residence after receiving the emergency call. However, authorities said Fackler and Savetz had already left when officers arrived. Investigators found the home’s door open and Fackler’s cellphone still at the property, leading detectives to determine that Savetz had allegedly taken Fackler from the residence in a rental vehicle.
Investigators later tracked the vehicle to Platinum Drive in Spring Hill, where authorities discovered Fackler and Savetz inside the vehicle, both deceased. Authorities said the circumstances surrounding Fackler’s death remained under investigation, and officials have not released additional details about the exact circumstances of the killings or a possible motive.
Fackler’s two children were not physically harmed in the incident and were placed in the care of their biological father following the deaths. Sheriff Nocco expressed his condolences to the children and emphasized that Fackler had acted to protect them during the confrontation.
Savetz had served with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office for approximately 14 years and was assigned to the agency’s Marine Unit. Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri condemned the deputy’s alleged actions, describing them as unacceptable and inexcusable, while emphasizing that the incident did not represent the work or conduct of law enforcement officers.
The investigation into Fackler’s death, the alleged kidnapping and Savetz’s subsequent death remains active. Authorities have described the incident as isolated and said additional information may be released as investigators continue reviewing evidence and reconstructing what happened. Fackler’s death leaves her two children and those who knew her to grieve her loss, while investigators continue working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
