Daytona Beach's top cop admitted his department made serious mistakes which led to the brutal slaying of a woman.
Chief Mike Chitwood said one of his officers made a horrible judgment call by not arresting a domestic abuse suspect. Chitwood said that officer missed all the signs and even lied on a police report.
Now two children are without a mother.
"There are all of these signs that were missed and as a result this woman is dead and we have to own that," said Chitwood.
Johan Chiri is facing murder charges for the death of his wife, Milena Chiri, whose body was found by the couple's 12-year-old daughter.
Chitwood released bodycam video worn by Officer Brian Biddix, one of the officers who responded April 7 to a domestic abuse call at the couple's Daytona Beach home.
The video shows Milena Chiri's final moments, clearly terrified of her husband, Johan Chiri.
Officers visited the Chiri home 17 times before. In fact, Chiri was taken into custody under the Baker Act three times before April 7. Milena, a native of Costa Rica, told police Johan was not taking his medication for schizophrenia.
Biddix handcuffed Chiri but let him go, claiming he did not have enough to arrest him on disorderly conduct.
Hours later police would receive another call from a 12-year-old girl saying her mother's throat was cut and bleeding.
Milena died that night leaving two children behind. Her husband is the main suspect.
"The officer missed the signs," said Chitwood.
Chitwood said Officer Biddix could have Baker Acted the suspect for not taking his medication and being combative. Or, Chitwood said, Biddix could have taken Chiri into custody on domestic abuse. Biddix could also have arrested Chiri on disorderly conduct since he was agitated. Finally, he could have called a supervisor for advice.
Instead Biddix ordered Milena and Johan to go to separate rooms and lock themselves in, advice Chitwood said never should have been given. Biddix also never went inside the home and lied about it.
"In the police report, the officer writes that he went in and checked on the kids and the kids were sleeping. The body camera shows that he never went into the house," said Chitwood, adding Biddix knew his fate with law enforcement once learning of Milena's death.
Johan Chiri tried committing suicide that same night in Holly Hill, where he was taken into custody. Officer Biddix, who was only with the force for a little over a year, was on probation and resigned.
The police department contacted the State Attorney's office who recommended retraining. The entire department, from Chief Chitwood to officers underwent that retraining.
Chitwood said his department has seen a 32 percent increase in domestic abuse calls last year, responding to as many as 900 domestic abuse calls in 2014.