HUDSON, FL – A family of four that went missing last week, including two young children, is feared dead after authorities discovered human remains on a property in Hudson, Florida. The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office has charged the property owner, Rory Atwood, 25, with first-degree murder.
Sheriff Chris Nocco announced during a Saturday press conference that the remains have not yet been identified, but investigators suspect they may belong to the missing family. For now, the remains are being referred to as John Doe.
The missing individuals are Rain Mancini, 26, Phillip Zilliot II, 25, and their children, Karma Zilliot, 6, and Phillip Zilliot III, 5. They were last seen around 12:30 a.m. on June 12 near Nottingham Trail in Hudson.
According to authorities, Mancini was picked up by a friend from her mother’s house at approximately 11:30 p.m. on June 11 and driven to Atwood’s home on Nottingham Trail. This was the last time Mancini’s mother saw her daughter.
Mancini, her friend, Zilliot II, and Atwood were at the house with Mancini and Zilliot’s children and Atwood’s daughter. The adults were reportedly drinking, and an argument ensued. At around 2 a.m., Atwood allegedly called a friend in a panic, claiming he had shot someone.
It took about 12 hours for someone to contact the sheriff’s office, and by then, the information was fragmented. Deputies initially searched Atwood’s 10-acre property on Thursday evening but found nothing unusual. However, a subsequent search on Friday night led to the discovery of human remains.
“This, along with several admissions, led to Rory Atwood being charged with first-degree homicide,” Sheriff Nocco stated. The missing-persons case remains active until the remains are officially identified.
The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information about the missing family is urged to contact the Pasco Sheriff’s nonemergency line at 727-847-8102, option 7, or submit tips online at pascosheriff.com/tips.