An elderly woman in Milton, Florida, lost her life in a horrific attack after she and her husband opened their home to help a man in need. According to authorities, 77-year-old Lucy Reed was brutally stabbed in front of her husband by a man they had taken in and allowed to live on their property.
The suspect, 31-year-old Toby White, reportedly carried out the shocking attack inside Reed’s home on Old Oak Road on January 20. According to the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, White grabbed a butcher knife and stabbed Reed multiple times in her body and head, all while her husband watched in horror.
After the attack, White reportedly turned to Reed’s husband and said, “I did what you wanted.” When asked why he did it, White responded, “God told me to,” according to Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson.
Authorities say White had been staying in a camper on the couple’s property for several months after being introduced to them through a mutual friend. He was given permission to enter their home as long as Reed or her husband were there.
A neighbor, who preferred to stay anonymous, expressed shock at the incident. “You don’t know who to trust anymore,” they said. “I used to see him walking up and down the road. I had no idea something was wrong with him.”
After the attack, White fled the scene while Reed’s husband tried desperately to save her. He wrapped her in a blanket and rushed her to Santa Rosa Medical Center, but sadly, doctors pronounced her dead upon arrival.
White was eventually caught after two police chases in Alachua County and Suwannee County. The first chase started when officers attempted to stop a stolen vehicle, but they had no idea at the time that White was a murder suspect. The pursuit was called off, but once authorities connected him to the killing, officers in Suwannee County tracked him down again. This time, after crashing the stolen vehicle and running into the woods, White was finally arrested.
Sheriff Johnson revealed that White had a long criminal history, having been arrested at least seven times before this incident. His most recent arrest was in October 2024 for violating probation, and he had been released from jail less than two weeks before killing Reed.
As of Wednesday, White remained in custody in Suwannee County while authorities arranged for his extradition back to Santa Rosa County, where he will face charges for Reed’s murder.
