DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Daytona Beach police said Friday that a man arrested in the stabbing and slashing deaths of a Daytona Beach couple confessed to the killings.
Jean R. Macean, 32, was arrested Thursday in Orlando on murder charges in the deaths of Terry and Brenda Aultman, who were found stabbed to death with their throats slashed over the weekend.
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Macean on Friday briefly appeared before a judge, who ordered that Macean will remain jailed without bond.
In a tweet, Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young thanked the U.S. Marshal’s Office, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the Orlando Police Department for the arrest. Young tweeted again Friday, saying Macean admitted to the slayings.
“Update: (Thursday) night while speaking with investigators, Jean Macean confessed to the murders of Terry and Brenda Aultman. Again, I want to thank my amazing team of investigators @DaytonaBchPD and all of our law enforcement partners who assisted us throughout this investigation,” the tweet said.
Update: Last night while speaking with investigators Jean Macean confessed to the murders of Terry and Brenda Aultman. Again, I want to thank my amazing team of investigators @DaytonaBchPD and all of our law enforcement partners who assisted us throughout this investigation. https://t.co/7fVvdbfIZI
— Chief Jakari Young (@ChiefJakari) March 11, 2022
At a news conference Thursday evening in Daytona Beach, Young said he hoped the arrest eases the minds of people in the community.
“The main purpose for this press conference is to inform the residents of this city and the visitors of this city that the suspect responsible for committing these heinous crimes is in custody, in hopes that everyone can now breathe a sigh of relief,” Young said.
Young said a motive for the attack is not yet known, but evidence from the crime has been recovered.
Brenda Aultman’s daughter, Sarah, was at the news conference. She described her mother as her best friend, and asked that the community keep her family in their thoughts and prayers.
“I just want to thank every single one of you for all the work you put in to help get this person off the street,” Sarah said. " I’m sorry, he’s not a person, a monster, got this monster off the streets so nobody else gets hurt and not deal with the pain and the destruction that this has caused so many people’s lives.”
I’m pleased to announce that we have arrested the man responsible for the murders of Brenda Aultman and Terry Aultman.
— Chief Jakari Young (@ChiefJakari) March 10, 2022
Our thanks to @USMarshalsHQ, @OrangeCoSheriff and @OrlandoPolice for helping us bring Jean R. Macean into custody. More details shortly @DaytonaBchPD pic.twitter.com/uQZwMN9r4x
Investigators said the couple was killed early Sunday on Wild Olive Avenue near Seabreeze Avenue as they were riding bicycles home from Seabreeze.
“If you were to ask me as the chief what things that you can do to keep yourself safe when you go out, (the Aultmans) did. They literally checked all the boxes... and yet and still they were attacked and murdered,” Young said. “This is just a reminder of just the evil that exists in our society today. And that’s why this press conference was so important to just inform everybody that the suspect responsible for this is in custody and the investigation is ongoing.”
Young said Macean had a minimal criminal history -- a felony arrest and two misdemeanor arrests. He said all of them were drug-related charges.