MIDDLEBURG, Fla. – The husband of a woman killed when an intruder broke into their Clay County home and opened fire is asking the community for help as he works to rebuild his life after the tragedy.
Vincent Cicone started a GoFundMe page to help support financial challenges he has faced while trying to cope with the loss of his wife, Samantha Cicone.
“She’s a very special woman. She always loves smiling. She was always happy,” Cicone said, remembering his late wife.
“We miss her every day, and the pain of her absence is overwhelming. The aftermath has left us facing not only emotional devastation but also significant financial challenges. I have had to cover funeral costs, crime scene cleanup, and repairs to our home from the damages that occurred that morning. These expenses have added to the stress and difficulty of trying to rebuild our lives,” he wrote on the GoFundMe page.
On Sept. 15, 2025, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office said 45-year-old Mauricio Vasco Lopez entered the family’s home on Pine Oaks Lane in Middleburg and began shooting before someone inside returned fire.
Deputies said Lopez shot three people: a 21-year-old woman, Cicone and his wife.
For Cicone, that day was a “typical morning” for his family.
“Get a little sleep before we go to whatever adventure leads us that day,” he told News4JAX on Thursday.
Those were his thoughts before the chaos erupted.
“When we came out, I was face to face with a guy who pointed a 10 millimeter pistol,” he said.
Cicone wrote in the GoFundMe that he was shot in the chest while trying to protect his family after Lopez forced his way into the home. Lopez then chased Cicone’s 16-year-old son and wife through the home before fatally shooting her, according to the GoFundMe page.
Cicone said his son, who is on the autism spectrum, ultimately grabbed a shotgun and shot Lopez, saving both of their lives. Lopez died from his injuries.
“He had no issue protecting his home. He had no issue with that. His only issue he had was the aftermath of it all,” Cicone said.
Nearly a year later, Cicone hopes that people remember Samantha as someone who was giving and kind.
“She’s a very special woman. I mean, she always loves smiling. She was always happy,” he said. ”I wake up a lot of mornings, and I’m looking at the couch where my wife used to sit. And I don’t see her."
Investigators said they found no evidence that Lopez knew the family. According to the investigation, Lopez’s car got a flat tire outside the home before he stormed inside and started shooting, but his motive remains unclear.
If you would like to donate, click here.
As of Thursday, the fundraiser had raised $800 toward its $11,000 goal.