Update (January 23)
The man charged with killing his mother in North Fort Myers appeared in court virtually Friday, where a judge ordered him to be held without bond as prosecutors seek pretrial detention. This means they are going to argue that he should be held without bond until his trial.
Joseph Delnegro, 49, appeared by video wearing restraints during his first appearance hearing.
Delnegro faces charges of third-degree felony murder involving a firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and grand theft of a firearm. Prosecutors told the court the felony murder charge is enhanced to a first-degree felony because a gun was used.
The judge found probable cause for the charges and said Delnegro is eligible for a pretrial detention hearing, which must be held within five days once a judge is assigned to the case. Until then, Delnegro will remain in custody with no bond.
The State Attorney’s Office said it is required to seek pretrial detention due to the nature of the felony murder charge and has already filed the motion.
According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the case stems from a deadly shooting inside a home in the Windmill Village community in North Fort Myers on Jan. 21. Deputies said they found a woman who had been shot once near the armpit. A family member confirmed to Fox 4 that the victim was Delnegro’s mother.
Investigators said Delnegro, a convicted felon, was not legally allowed to possess a firearm. Authorities have said the gun involved in the shooting was stolen.
A police report said Delnegro found the gun at a bar in St. James City.
Court records reviewed during Friday’s hearing show Delnegro has an extensive criminal history dating back to the 1990s, including drug offenses, burglary, theft, DUI, weapons violations, and driving with a suspended license.
Delnegro is scheduled to return to court Monday at 10 a.m.
Update (January 22, 2026 at 5:45 p.m)
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office says a woman was shot and killed in the Windmill Village community Wednesday night, and a family member tells Fox 4 the man charged with murder is the woman’s son.
Fox 4’s Austin Schargorodski went to the neighborhood to hear from neighbors after what happened.
Watch to hear from family members and neighbors about the shooting:
Squad cars, crime scene tape, and deputies lined Delft Avenue in the Windmill Village neighborhood Wednesday night.
The Sheriff’s Office says deputies were called about a shooting and found a woman in the kitchen of a home who had been shot in the armpit. Deputies say they tried to save her, but she didn’t make it.
Detectives say the suspect is 49-year-old Joseph Delnegro. Schargorodski spoke with Delnegro’s brother, who did not want to go on camera. He said the woman who was killed is their mother, who he did not want to name, and that Joseph is his brother.
In a statement, he said, “I’m trying to wrap my head around this. It’s shocking because there’s so much love within the family. Not only did I lose my mother, I’m going to lose my brother.”
Delnegro's brother said his mother was full of love and support for the family, and would drive all the way to New Jersey to see him for the holidays. He added that Delnegro was a single father who loved his son and was working to straighten his life out, so it’s sad to hear this happened.
Lee County deputies say Delnegro is a convicted felon from Colorado who was not legally allowed to have a gun, and the gun he had was stolen.
According to the police report, a witness told deputies that Delnegro said he found the gun at a biker bar in St. James City. A witness said he was in his room in the house, heard a bang, and came out to see the woman leaning over and Delnegro helping her.
Neighbors told Fox 4 they were shocked to hear someone in their community had died.
“I’ve been here for four years and just can’t believe it. I woke up this morning and they had it all roped off. I don’t know what to say, just stunned,” said Ron Ostman.
Scott Bond added, “There’s no violence here. Cops are very rarely ever seen here.”
Delnegro is charged with felony murder, grand theft of a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Records show Delnegro has had several drug and burglary offenses, as well as a weapons charge in 2018.
If there are any more developments in this case, Fox 4 will let you know.
Update (January 22, 2026)
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office says a woman died Wednesday evening after being shot at a house on Delft Avenue in North Fort Myers.
Investigators from the Major Crimes Unit identified 49-year-old Joseph Delnegro as the suspect. Delnegro, a convicted felon from Colorado, was in possession of a stolen firearm and was not legally allowed to own a gun.
Delnegro was taken into custody and charged with Felony Murder, Grand Theft of a Firearm, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. His criminal history includes multiple drug, burglary, and weapons offenses dating back to 2018.
Original Reporting
On Wednesday evening, the Lee County Sheriff's Office said its major crimes unit was conducting an investigation near Delft Avenue in North Fort Myers.
The sheriff's office did not confirm what was being investigated, but said more information would be released later.
Fox 4 crews witnessed several LCSO squad cars inside the Windmill Village 55+ community on Delft Ave., just off US-41.
This is a developing story and we will update this article when more information is available.
