Recently released police records have shed light on the mysterious death of Peter Antonacci, the man hired by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to lead his so-called “elections fraud unit.” Antonacci’s death, which occurred in DeSantis’ office in September 2022, has raised questions and concerns about the circumstances surrounding his passing.
Peter Antonacci, aged 74, was the state’s first director of the Office of Election Crimes and Security. On September 23, 2022, he attended a meeting with 11 other individuals, including Secretary of State James “Cord” Byrd. However, he abruptly left the meeting and collapsed in a hallway, hitting his head on a door. Surveillance camera footage revealed that he received no medical attention for 24 minutes after his initial collapse.
Records from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) showed that Antonacci exited the conference room around 1:46 p.m., staggered forward, and collapsed face-down on the floor. He hit his forehead on a door, causing a small, bleeding cut. Despite remaining motionless on the floor, no immediate action was taken.
Around 2:10 p.m., FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass and FDLE general counsel Ryan Newman noticed Antonacci’s body. Glass administered CPR, but Antonacci’s face had turned purple and blue, and there was no pulse. Capitol Police officers arrived shortly after with an automated external defibrillator (AED) machine, but it failed to produce a shock to jumpstart Antonacci’s heart. CPR and breathing assistance were provided until he was transported to the hospital.
At 2:47 p.m., a hospital doctor pronounced Antonacci dead. Notably, no autopsy was performed on Antonacci, a decision that a state medical examiner considered unusual.
News of Antonacci’s mysterious death, which occurred a year ago, has come to light amid other recent controversies surrounding Governor Ron DeSantis. These include criticism of DeSantis’ anti-vaxxer Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo and disagreements within DeSantis’ presidential campaign. DeSantis is also trailing significantly behind former President Donald Trump in national polls, which could impact his presidential campaign.
The circumstances surrounding Peter Antonacci’s death continue to raise questions and have garnered attention amid ongoing controversies in Florida politics.