St. Lucie County sheriff says a 911 call and blood evidence led to the arrest of a 41-year-old Pompano Beach driver.
FORT PIERCE, Fla. — A man riding along from Georgia to Florida was found dead in a semi’s sleeper compartment after deputies followed up on a suspicious-person call behind a Fort Pierce truck stop, the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday.
Authorities identified the victim as Wendy Moncion, 32, of Coconut Creek, and the driver as his cousin, Olson Jean, 41, of Pompano Beach. Sheriff Richard Del Toro said an autopsy determined Moncion was shot once in the back of the head. Investigators recovered two guns near a canal close to where Jean’s Freightliner slid into a ditch on Jan. 15. Jean is charged with first-degree murder with a firearm and tampering with evidence and remains jailed. Deputies said they are still developing a full timeline and have not established a motive.
The case began around 11:30 p.m. Jan. 15 when a caller reported a man rolling on the ground and acting erratically behind the Pilot Truck Stop on South Rock Road. Deputies encountered Jean near a 2020 Freightliner that had left the roadway while turning around. Del Toro said Jean gave conflicting accounts about his activities and initially denied ties to the semi. Without a warrant, deputies could not open compartments, but they documented apparent blood on the passenger door and step and observed more inside the cab. Jean left, then returned to the truck stop and was detained for questioning as the investigation continued.
On Jan. 16, technicians tested the stains and confirmed they were blood. Deputies canvassing the area found a Palmetto State Armory PA-15 rifle and a Springfield Hellcat handgun, along with matching magazines, discarded near a canal. With a signed search warrant, investigators opened a storage space under the sleeper bed and found Moncion’s body. The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide from a single gunshot to the back of the head. Detectives said Moncion last checked in with relatives at 6:40 p.m. Jan. 15, hours before deputies were called to the truck stop. No additional suspects were named.
Del Toro said the men are cousins and that relatives told investigators Moncion joined the run to accompany Jean on his final trip before dealing with personal concerns about overnight stops. The sheriff said Jean’s wife reported that he had recently shown signs of mental health struggles. Investigators did not draw conclusions from those accounts and said the motive remains undetermined. They are reviewing phone data, dash cameras and business surveillance along the route to establish when and where the fatal shot was fired.
Jean was initially arrested on obstruction-related allegations and later booked on murder and evidence-tampering counts. Jail logs list no bond for the major charges and a $500 bond for resisting without violence. Prosecutors are expected to review the case and file a formal information. A future hearing date was not posted as of Wednesday. Detectives said lab testing of the firearms and ammunition will continue alongside interviews with relatives, co-workers and truck stop employees.
Truckers pulling in and out of the fuel lanes Wednesday slowed past the rutted patch where the semi left pavement days earlier. “It’s scary to think about,” said Luis Martinez, who said he stops at the Fort Pierce Pilot on north-south runs. “We sleep back there. That’s our home on the road.” Del Toro praised the original 911 caller: “That tip allowed our team to secure the area, gather evidence and ultimately locate the victim.”
As of midweek, the sheriff’s office said the homicide investigation is active and that the next public update will depend on lab results and charging decisions in the coming days.
Author note: Last updated January 22, 2026.