The body of a missing 55-year-old Gulf Breeze woman who disappeared sometime Sunday evening was found behind a Gulf Breeze proper bar late Monday night.
The body of Sidelines Sports Bar hostess Lorie Musil was spotted behind the bar by Gulf Breeze Police Officer Sgt. Kerstan Tatro Monday at around 9:45 p.m. Gulf Breeze Police Chief Robert Randle says the department is handling the case as a “suspicious death” and has a person of interest they are looking to question in relation to the incident.
Tatro was called out to the Bridge Bar Monday after the woman’s family called police about her disappearance.
“It was very unlike this lady to not be answering phone calls or talking to her kids,” Randle said. “She was well known here and it was unusual for her to be missing.”
When Sgt. Tatro canvassed the shoreline behind the bar, he discovered a body up on the rocks behind the bar near the marina. The body was later identified as Musil’s.
“He was canvasing the area when he stumbled upon the body on the rocks,” Randle said. “It was just between the marina and the Bridge Bar.”
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the local Medical Examiner’s Office was called in shortly after the discovery to take over the case.
After viewing video from security cameras inside the bar from when Musil was there Sunday night, Randle said police spotted a person of interest and are currently searching for the individual.
“This is a suspicious death. This was not a suicide,” Randle said. “There is a reason she’s dead. This is suspicious in nature.”
An autopsy was performed on Musil Wednesday, after South Santa Rosa News went to press. The autopsy will determine the Gulf Breeze resident’s cause of death.
“We have no idea what the cause of death is. There is no visible trauma,” Randle said.
