Florida Family Demands Answers After 83-Year-Old Navy Veteran Found Dead in Assisted Living Freezer
It started as a normal evening.
But when Kristen Spencer checked the Ring camera in her 83-year-old father’s room, what she saw — or rather, didn’t see — sent chills down her spine.
Her father, William Eugene “Gene” Ray, had vanished.
Now, his devastated family is demanding answers.
The Disappearance No Family Should Ever Face
When Kristen Spencer checked the live feed from her father’s camera at The Waverly Assisted Living and Memory Care in Trinity, Florida, she instantly knew something was wrong.
“The light was on, but my dad was not in his room,” she recalled.
That moment marked the beginning of every family’s worst nightmare — and the shocking discovery that would follow just hours later.
A Trusted Home Turns Tragic
Gene Ray — a father of two and a retired U.S. Navy veteran — had spent 36 years serving his country. When early signs of dementia began to appear, his family decided to move him into The Waverly in May, hoping he would receive the professional care and security he deserved.
“You put your loved one in there with trust,” Spencer told Fox 13.
But that trust was shattered on September 26, when Kristen noticed something strange while monitoring her father’s room in the middle of the night.
The footage showed him leaving his room around 12:30 a.m. — and never coming back.
“He’s in the Freezer.”
Hours later, the phone rang again — with words no daughter should ever have to hear.
“She [the staff member] said, ‘We found him,’” Spencer recalled. “But then the next words out of her mouth were, ‘He’s in the freezer.’ And I said, ‘What do you mean he’s in the freezer?’”
Authorities from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the facility around 8 a.m. They found Gene unresponsive inside a walk-in freezer.
He was rushed for medical treatment but later pronounced dead.
What Authorities Are Saying
“Pasco County Fire Rescue responded and transported the victim for medical treatment, where he was later pronounced deceased,” a police spokesperson told People.
“Preliminary information suggests the incident was accidental and no foul play is suspected.”
However, the question that continues to haunt Gene’s family — and the public — remains:
How did a dementia patient gain access to a restricted freezer in the first place?
“When Would They Have Found Him?”
“If we had not called the facility, when would they have found him?” she asked. “When you have vulnerable people in a place, you have to secure these areas.”
Her words strike a painful chord for families across the country who entrust assisted living centers with their loved ones.
The Facility Responds
In a statement to Fox 13, a spokesperson for The Waverly Assisted Living and Memory Care confirmed awareness of the incident but cited privacy laws in limiting their comments:
“Out of respect for privacy and in compliance with regulatory guidelines, we are unable to share specific details nor will comment on the cognitive levels of any individual resident.”
The facility also pushed back against public criticism:
“We cannot accept a false narrative being pressed upon our residents and their families. When unmoderated, anonymous, non-factual reviews go unchecked they become perception. That perception undermines how hard every member of The Waverly family works to provide quality of life, enjoyment, and a wonderful place to call home.”
They further emphasized:
“The safety, dignity, and well-being of our residents is — and always will be — our highest priority. We have never experienced an incident of this nature in the many years of operating in the Assisted Living space. Our community is deeply saddened by this heartbreaking loss. The grief felt by our entire staff is indescribable.”
The spokesperson concluded by saying they remain “confident in the high level of service, comfort, and care we provide our residents as one of the premier assisted living and memory care communities in Florida.”
Remembering Gene Ray
For Kristen Spencer and her family, words of sympathy offer little comfort.
Her father, she said, will always be remembered as a funny, hardworking, and gentle man — one who “never raised his voice.”
A Navy veteran, a devoted father, and a man who served his nation for nearly four decades, Gene’s story is one of dedication, integrity, and quiet strength.
A Tragedy That Demands Change
This heartbreaking case raises urgent questions about senior safety, facility oversight, and how quickly staff respond to missing residents.
As investigations continue, the family — and the public — are left waiting for answers that could prevent such tragedies in the future.
This is, without question, a devastating event — one no family should ever have to endure.
Rest in peace, William Eugene “Gene” Ray.
And thank you for your lifetime of service and devotion.
