Michelle Parker Noller, 48, of Flagler Beach, Dies of Self-Inflicted Gunshot

Law enforcement responded to the house in mid-afternoon Wednesday after Noller’s 72-year-old father called 911. He lives nearby, on the same avenue, with his wife. He had gone to his daughter’s house to help with yard work. A hand-written note had been affixed to the door for her father to call police, apologizing and saying nothing could have been done.

The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office and Flagler Beach police responded, establishing a crime scene, as is routine in the circumstances. Noller’s parents told authorities Noller had battled depression for a long time, and had had suicidal thoughts. Authorities found books on suicide and depression throughout the house, according to the police report.

Based on a receipt police found at the house, Noller bought the Smith and Wesson revolver on April 15 and picked it up on April 21, with ammunition. Police found a Vitas “Five Wishes” booklet about advance care planning for individuals who expect to be incapacitated and may want certain decisions in place on their behalf, along with a A do-not-resuscitate, or DNR, directive. On the kitchen table, Noller had left a note indicating that she was leaving all her possessions to her parents. They had last seen their daughter the night before.

A Medical language specialist, an editor and shell artist who’d graduated Flagler Palm Coast High School and attended the University of Central Florida, Noller had also briefly worked with Jack Howells’s Teens-in-Flight non-profit as a grant coordinator. They had met in 1990 and maintained a friendship through the years.

“She had just turned 18 and it was 1990 when I first met her, she came to work for me at Flagler Beach when I was in charge of the ocean rescue,” Howell said. She soon became one of his lieutenants on the beach. “Then we lost track of each other, things happened, she moved on, got married after she graduated, and was in Colorado, then she came home–actually she became a widower, her husband died.” 

She developed health problems along the way. “She was trying to do some things, she was very artsy, she was trying to create a gallery and teach kids, and was working online with an insurance company, doing claims for insurance purposes,” Howell said. “She had it tough, and she had other struggles that obviously won the battle.”  But I think the world of her. I know one of the things she and I connected on was our love of Seinfeld.” Howell would send her pictures of the Soup nazi or Kramer cheer her up or would go to her house to watch the show. 

“She was a lovely girl, she’d do anything in the world for you,” Howells aid. “She was very bright, very articulate. We’re going to miss her. I really thought the world of her.” 

The following resources are available for individuals in crisis:

Flagler Lifeline website.

In Flagler: The Crisis Triage and Treatment Unit (CTTU) is a crisis assessment and referral service for Flagler County residents experiencing behavioral health crisis.  It is located at 301 Justice Lane in the Brown & Brown Outpatient building at the Vince Carter Sanctuary in Bunnell.  This program is limited to individuals escorted to the program by law enforcement between the hours of noon and midnight daily.  Law enforcement is able to transport individuals to SMA to assess and determine the appropriate clinical disposition.  When required and appropriate, SMA then transports the individual to a receiving facility in Volusia County.

In Daytona Beach: Stewart-Marchman Act Corporation Crisis Center
1220 Willis Avenue
Daytona Beach, FL 32114

Crisis Line: (800) 539 – 4228
Available 24 hours.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 800/273-8255 (TALK), or use the online Lifeline Crisis Chat, both available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

People 60 and older can call the Institute on Aging’s 24-hour, toll-free Friendship Line at 800-971-0016. IOA also makes ongoing outreach calls to lonely older adults.

If you are concerned for someone else, read about warning signs here. For additional resources, see the Speaking of Suicide website.