Mid-morning Thursday a swarm of Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies converged on the house at 63 Cimarron Drive in Palm Coast, including the Crime Scene Investigation unit, and crime scene tape went up around the house, raising concerns for surrounding residents.
Moments earlier, a 28-year-old resident of the house had found her boyfriend, Tracy Todd Vandament, 48, on the back patio, dead from an apparent hanging. The sheriff’s office is still investigating.
Vandament, originally from Oklahoma, had been depressed from going through a divorce and not seeing his children, who sill live in Oklahoma, according to a sheriff’s report. And his own family had created tensions with his girlfriend because “they did not agree with them dating due to [his girlfriend’s] race,” the report states. (He is white, she is black.)
The couple had come home after midnight Thursday, with his girlfriend’s 10-year-old daughter. Mother and daughter went to bed. Her mother wanted to stay with her because in the morning she was to be picked up by her grandparents and taken back to Oklahoma for the rest of the year. Vandament was on the couch with a blanket, and told his girlfriend goodnight and that he loved her.
Vandament’s Facebook page is replete with adoring pictures of his girlfriend—he is never without a broad smile—and of the Nebraska Huskers.
In the morning, the doorbell woke up his girlfriend. It was her parents, who’d arrived to pick up her daughter. They inquired about Vandament’s whereabouts. She looked for him, and discovered him on the patio.
Authorities determined that it had been a few hours. “There was no signs of suspicious activity or foul play,” the incident report noted. A Palm Coast Fire Department paramedic pronounced Vandament’s death at 10:19 a.m. A victim’s advocate arrived at the scene, and Vandament’s body was taken to the Medical Examiner’s facility in St. Augustine, as is the norm in such cases.
Suicides have been an increasing concern for authorities in Flagler, with an attempted suicide by gunshot on July 18 and an attempted double suicide at the beginning of the month, when one of the two victims died, the other survived. At least three suicides were recorded in June and one attempted suicide on State Road A1A in Flagler Beach, where a man intentionally provoked a car crash before stabbing himself.
The following resources are available for individuals in crisis:
In Daytona Beach: Stewart-Marchman Act Corporation Crisis Center
1220 Willis Avenue
Daytona Beach, FL 32114
Administrative Phone: (904) 947 – 4270
Crisis Line: (800) 539 – 4228
Available 24 hours.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 800/273-8255.
If you are concerned for someone else, read about warning signs here.
See the University of South Florida’s Youth Suicide Prevention School-Based Guide here.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
wishful thinking says
Oh so very sad. I feel blessed that I never had such thoughts although I went through very very tough times like most people do but thank God for y aunt to taught me to take one day at a time and one fresh breath every day and look ahead not back. So sorry this poor man did not have and hope in his heart.
Barb says
So sad. I’m very sorry for his loved ones.
Sw says
RIP
RayD says
Sad and once again avoidable. People come to Florida from all over and lose their support groups. It can be isolating and lonely.
Jolene dehart says
Very sad that this is what some feel is better
Dee Kieffer says
Condelenses to his girlfriend , her daughter , close friends and family.
To others suicide is a final answer to situations that generally pass without such extreme matters. Flagler Hospital E.R. will help you, so if you have thoughts like that get help please. While you may end your suffering , it creates a great deal of suffering for those left behind.
Bobbie yardy says
In light of my anger, thank you for the prayers for the family ❤️
Dontlosehopeplease says
This is so heart breaking. RIP my friend. 🤦♂️
palmcoaster says
May the Almighty give him peace and calm his pain and of his family.
Thank you Flaglerlive for the crisis help links.
Dontlosehopeplease says
So sad😓
Anonymous says
FTR decent mental health services are near impossible to find in this area. Go stay at Halifax a couple nights and see if you still want to kill yourself when you get out. Also they keep you for as short a time as possible their goal is to return you to your previous level of functioning. Trust me. It’s better if he can talk about it without the threat of getting pay corrected but people don’t want to hear the s word they want to throw it into the hands of the cops or the inept Mental Health Care system
Anonymous says
i knew this dude & i think investigators didn’t dig deep enuff.