Married couple's throats slashed while riding bikes home in 'vicious and gruesome' murder

A married couple in Daytona Beach, Florida, was found dead on the side of the road with their throats slashed and multiple stab wounds over the weekend in what the local police chief called "one of the most vicious and gruesome incidents" he has ever witnessed.

What are the details?

In a news release about the incident on Monday, Daytona Beach police identified the victims as 48-year-old Terry Aultman and 55-year-old Brenda Aultman.

The couple had reportedly just moved to the residential beachside area six months earlier and were riding their bicycles back home from Bike Week festivities when they were attacked. They were within a mile of their home when they were killed.

'Vicious and gruesome': Married couple found with throats slashed were riding bikes in Daytona Beachwww.youtube.com

Police said they were notified about the murder at around 2 a.m. on Sunday after a man called 911 informing them that he had come across a man lying face-down on the side of the road and a woman lying face-up nearby him, both covered in blood. The couple's two bicycles were discovered near their bodies.

"This is probably one of the most vicious and gruesome incidents that I’ve witnessed in my 20 years," Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young said, according to WESH-TV. "We can’t rule out that this may be totally random, but if it is totally random, the person responsible has to be deranged."

In an update post on Tuesday, police released photos and a video of a person of interest in the murder and asked the community to come forward with any information.

Police had previously described the potential suspect as "a man of unknown race wearing light-colored pants and possibly carrying a backpack."

What else?

The grisly murder has left the couple's family and local community in shock.

In a conversation with WESH, Brenda Aultman's daughter said she is horrified by the tragedy, noting that her mother was her best friend and that her mother and stepfather were a beautiful, fun, loving couple.

Neighbors seemed to agree.

One neighborhood resident who said she was still nervous and shaky following the incident, recalled that the Aultmans "were very nice people [and] very friendly."

The Aultmans' next-door neighbor, Jesse Dylan, recalled that the couple had just moved to the area and said both were extremely happy just enjoying life together.

"They walked to the beach every day. It was like their dream house. They bought bicycles. They just bought a Jeep. They were loving it. They loved the neighborhood," Dylan said.

"He was a responsible guy," Dylan added of Terry Aultman. "They even took bicycles because he was drinking. He left his car, left his motorcycle here. Left their car, left their truck here. It is a real shame what happened to them you know."

Another resident, Donald Sears, said, "My wife is not leaving the house by herself. I can tell you that right now. And obviously, it was a man and a woman, so it makes you think even the both of us are [thinking], 'How safe is our neighborhood?'"

Police search for suspect that stabbed, killed couple riding bikes in Daytona Beachwww.youtube.com

Anything else?

As of Tuesday morning, police were still searching for the person of interest.

"We will spare no expense and leave no stone unturned in order to solve this case," said Chief Young in a statement. "I assure you that our detectives are doing all they can to bring justice to the loved ones of these victims."