November 13, 2025 | Mark Luis Foster

I don’t usually like to post the really, truly, awful HOA stories that I sometimes find on the world wide web, but given the emphasis on safety for us leaders these days, I thought I should pass along this story concerning a Port Lucie, Florida, HOA eviction process that went terribly wrong and resulted in a double homicide.

From CBS affiliate Channel 12 in Florida:

The Port St. Lucie Police Department said on Wednesday, there were documented disturbances between the double homicide suspect, Paul Maraio, and the victim, Mark Golden, 54, who served as treasurer for the Tropical East HOA. The second victim, David Gasik, 75, was not an HOA board member, but police say his surviving wife served as the board’s secretary.

The violence was all due an eviction process underway against the HOA resident from his property.

PSLPD says Golden and other HOA board members had retained legal representation and were in the process of evicting 62-year-old Paul Maraio from his home. Investigators say Maraio had been ordered to vacate the property by December 14, 2025.

Sadly, this kind of violence is just happening far too often. The violence in the HOA escalated even after the double homicide was complete.

Police say the violence began around 3:15 p.m. Monday when Maraio allegedly shot Golden and Gasik in separate homes near SE Tropical Circle. After the shootings, Maraio entered a third residence and held a 77-year-old woman hostage. She was released unharmed after more than two hours of negotiations involving SWAT teams, drones, and crisis negotiators.

HOA Leaders. Be careful out there.

You can read the whole sad awful story HERE.