Robert “Bob” Newsholme, a resident of Lee Place in Palm Coast, is known around town for his tax business: “If you need someone to do your taxes, go to Flagler Tax Service, right behind the Chicken Pantry,” goes the young child’s voice on a radio spot for WNZF. Newsholme, 66, has owned the business with his wife for a decade.
On Tuesday, he joined his wife for coffee and a cigarette by the pool around 7:30 in the morning, went back in to get ready for work, re-joined his wife for another cup of coffee, and then seemed to have left for work–or so it seemed to his wife. She stayed by the pool.
A bit later in the morning, as his wife was letting the dogs out, she heard a loud bang. The sound, she told a Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy–according to a sheriff’s report–appeared to come from outside. At first she thought it was a package or a parcel being thrown against the fence. She and her 23-year-old son assumed it may have been a covid-testing kit they’d been waiting for, to test Newsholme, though when she checked the perimeter nothing was out of the ordinary.
The bang she had heard was the sound of a gunshot.
Newsholme had shot himself in the chest with a .380-caliber Ruger, which he then placed to the side on the bed. But he did not let anyone know for another 10 hours. When his wife realized his car was still in the driveway around 10 a.m., she found him in the bedroom, under a blanket. She asked him why he was still home. Newsholme told her he had chills and felt like he had a fever, which she attributed to covid symptoms. She went about her day, checking on her husband from time to time. His son checked on him several times as well, also concluding that his father may have been ill with covid.
Just before 6 p.m., his wife noticed that Newsholme’s breathing was “irregular and labored,” according to the report. She asked her son to take him a bottle of water. His son asked him how he was feeling and asked him if he’d rather go to a walk-in clinic. “Robert stated he needed to admit something to” his son, the report states. Newsholme paused, then told his son he’d shot himself that morning. The family immediately called 911. The Palm Coast Fire Department, Flagler County Fire Rescue and sheriff’s deputies responded and a helicopter was requested, though it was later cancelled due to weather. Newsholme was transported by ambulance to Halifax hospital in Daytona Beach.
Family members told authorities of health issues Newsholme was enduring, and that he’d “commented about not wanting to go through this anymore,” according to the report. Some clients had also complained about his work. A few days earlier Newsholme had asked his wife for her checking account number, and later that day found “a large amount of cash under her computer.”
A crime scene was established at the house for a few hours, as is routine in such circumstances, and broken down just before 9 p.m.
Rxx says
Seems like Mr. Newsholme has bigger personal issues than the whole Covid thing. Hope he gets the help he needs.
Kathy says
Sending prayers for him and his family. 🙏🙏🙏🙏
Jane Gentile-Youd says
OMG. They just did our taxes 2 weeks ago. He said he wasn’t feeling well…we have been wondering and worried about him getting COVID because we haven’t yet received our hard copy as of today and I emailed again this morning that we are so worried about them. Mark and I pray he is okay
HammockBear says
Prayers for Bob and his family.
Denise Calderwood says
My prayers go out to Bob and his family. Stay strong Newsholme’s. Bob is a fighter and he deserves another chance. Call me if you need anything. I am always here for you all….
Jennifer L Diaz says
No way our family loves that man. He’s been doing our taxes for the pazt10 years. He’s so personable and good to my kids every time we come in. Sending prayers and hoping for a quick recovery.
Karen A says
OMG..noone saw any blood or anything that could have indicated a gun wound… No signs of depresion ? Hopefully he’ll be ok and get the help he needs….
tacklebox says
A wonderful man who supported many youth organizations. Prayers with Bob! You have a community here to assist you!
Ralph Tozzi says
Sorry to hear about Bob. However, Bob is a very dishonest man. I decided to switch accountants and use Flagler Tax Service to do my taxes for 2020. To make a long story very short he was supposed to pay the IRS after he suggested I pay him my tax liability using my credit card and he in turn would pay the IRS. Well, after lying to me numerous times he never paid the I RS and kept my money. Now I am stuck with paying the several thousand dollars due again. He constantly lied to me and my wife. Has anyone else dealing with this type of situation. Ralph
Bob says
Wait let me get this the guy shoots himself, but there is no blood dripping anywhere? Family thinks he is bed and may have Covid 19, but no one takes him to the hospital or calls their family doctor. And of few days earlier the wife finds a large amount of cash under her computer. Where is Columbo when you need him.
Maria says
On a personal level this is a great family involved in our community and youth sports always by his sons side cheering them on. Please dont speculate and respect there privacy nobody should be passing judgement without knowing the whole story. My prayers are with you all xoxo
Sharon clarke says
Same here. $7000 in the hole he took from our account. We emailed him went to the office and he consistently lied lied lied. Every request was ignored. Now we have to try to come up with another $7000.
Would love to hear from others in the same boat.
Flatsflyer says
Have any local, state or federal charges been filed against him? Seems like this would an easy case to investigate, prosecute and convict if the story is true. First complaint was over a year ago, time enough to get to the bottom, seems like if it’s true there are many people who may have contributed to his pile of cash.
Triggers McClane says
Prefer not to comment on “Bob’s” tax business but I would like to say to all you CCW firearm holders…. If you use the .380 caliber for defense, you will need to “Triple Tap” instead of “Double Tap”.
Anonymous says
Same thing happened with us. Make a police report with the Bunnell police department. We did and we are not the only ones that made a report. Makes me sad he seemed so nice.
Brian Larson says
It must of only grazed his chest for him to be talking to his family about it 10 hrs later ,and if the wife went out to look for package she’d of seen his car waa there much earlier , something fishy is going on here a gun shot inside a house could never be mistaken for a package bumping against a door , that is pure nonsense!
Ralph says
My name is Ralph and I had posted my situation with Bob. Call me at+1770-235-9948 and I have some information that may help you get your money back. Thanks
Anonymous says
My mother just told me yesterday she had the same issue. Her 2019 taxes were never paid and the checks she wrote out were to him and not directly to the IRS. She didn’t realize until she received a letter that they were taking her 2020 refund to pay for it. I’ve worked for two tax accountants in a different state, but it is never acceptable to pay client tax liabilities on their behalf.
Anonymous says
This is insane. The man attempted suicide and is literally on his death bed. Whatever he did or didnt do should not be discussed here. What the hell kind of people are you? Do have no empathy?! Honestly the fact that you all think its cool to sit here and discuss a mans alleged wrong doings on a post about him attempting suicide is absolutely disgusting. There is a time and a place for everything and this is neither the time, nor the place.
If you want to press charges go ahead but this is not the place to discuss this. Have some empathy goddamnit. If he did do the things you say I am sorry and that sucks but that does not make any of this ok. I truly hope none of you ever have someone you love attempts suicide, just for the public to bad mouth them, pick them apart and accuse while they’re literally near death.
Loretta says
Thank you!
I’ve been reading all these comments and was about to say the same.
I can’t imagine being shot anywhere and no blood.
Story doesn’t add up.
Steve says
We have been using this tax service for yeats, do I need to check if my taxes have been payed ?
Rose Kaye says
This man came to our home 10 years ago, took our $300, never did our taxes or returned or paperwork! Hmmm?
Jim says
Send me 7,000 and I will give you nothing how would you like that?
Anne-Marie Mullins says
Well I am yet another in a growing list of victims here. At this stage, I really have “very little sympathy” for this very talented criminal after almost a year of sleepless nights over threatening letters from the IRS, over $6000 in estimated tax payments (yes, I made them out to FTS not the US Treasury . . . duh) totally disappeared, and no 2019 tax return filed, though they handed me a phony paper copy that was riddled with false statements.
Fortunately, I found a legitimate CPA, got all the messes he made (going back to 2013) cleaned up my records, and now make payments to one place: the IRS Direct Pay via my individual account.
I feel sorry for all the other victims of Bob’s scheme. I doubt we will ever recover our money but at least we can keep this criminal locked up.
Julie says
He also took our money almost $1700 and came out with every excuse he could come up with as to why the IRS had no record of payment