Former VMI Cadet Accused of Killing Father in Florida

Police from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, arrested 24-year-old Ellis Gaines Lee II '23 on Aug. 15, 2025, and accused him of first-degree premeditated murder of his father, 64-year-old David Ellis Lee, at their Burwick neighborhood home in the PGA National community. Officers were summoned just before 1 a.m. after Ellis Lee placed a 911 call to report a disturbance and that his dad was not breathing, according to several local newspapers, recapping the arrest affidavit and police reports. Palm Beach Gardens Police said officers found David Lee in the residence with visible injuries and detained his son immediately. Police then arrested Ellis Lee for a crime of first-degree premeditated murder defined by Florida Statute § 782.04(1)(a)1. CBS12 affiliates' arrest-report recap details a violent fight that moved through multiple rooms of the home and involved various objects turned into weapons. Investigators documented a broken lamp and a bloodied tack hammer among the objects seized. In a statement that was quoted from the report, Lee said: "We had a fight, and things got out of hand. He knocked my glasses off my face, and I kept going." The first police call and response took place on Glencairn Road in PGA National's Burwick section. Neighbors reported to reporters that the victim was known around town as the homeowners' association president and was in shock over the killing; police stressed that the investigation is still active. Local coverage indicates that Ellis Lee called 911 from inside the house, and officers encountered him shortly after their arrival. Additional reporting from arrest documents indicates that detectives then searched Lee and interrogated him after advising him of his rights and his father's demise. He requested a lawyer thereafter. Reports suggest that authorities are currently holding Lee without bond. He is innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. David Ellis Lee's obituary reports that his date of death was Aug. 15 and mentions his contributions to technology and his role in the community; he was 64. Some media outlets also reported on records of previous mental health concerns of Ellis Lee, prior incidents, and previous domestic disturbances, but authorities have released no official motive. The case file and investigation remain ongoing, and prosecutors will decide further charges. Several media reports and school-community sources confirm that Ellis Lee attended the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) but left before graduating. Sources confirmed to The Cadet that Ellis is listed as an alumnus in good standing (having completed the Rat Line), Class of 2023, and was an Economics and Business major. However, VMI has issued no public statement regarding his departure from the Institute. (The Cadet will revisit if the Institute provides comment or more information becomes available.) Anyone with tips or other information about a relationship with Lee while in Palm Beach Gardens or his time at VMI that could assist investigators is encouraged to contact the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department's Detective & Crime Scene Investigation Unit at 561-799-4400.