Florida Woman Found Guilty of Murdering Boyfriend

A Florida woman stood trial for the murder of her boyfriend, leading to a guilty verdict. Caylen Deller, aged 32, faced charges for first-degree murder, connected to the September 2024 death of Chad Mullen. The couple had an on-again, off-again relationship.

According to the prosecution, Deller killed Mullen at her horse farm in San Mateo, Florida. Seeking help from a friend, she used her horse to transport Mullen’s body, which was later discovered in a shallow grave over a month after his disappearance.

On Thursday, a jury deliberated for just over an hour, ultimately convicting Deller of first-degree murder. She received a life sentence. Additionally, Deller faced convictions for tampering with evidence and failure to report a death.

During her testimony, Deller claimed self-defense, stating Mullen choked her and threatened her with a hammer. The confrontation arose from accusations against Mullen, alleging sexual abuse of Deller’s daughter. Deller described how Mullen became violent, pinning her against a truck and restricting her breathing.

In response, Deller retrieved a gun, obtained after Mullen allegedly broke into her apartment on August 1, 2024. She recounted how she shot Mullen twice, motivated by fear for her safety.

Deller asserted her intention was not to kill but to protect herself.

“I pulled the trigger of the gun and shot him twice,” Deller said. “I was extremely afraid.”

Following the shooting, Deller didn’t contact law enforcement, fearing disbelief over her self-defense claim. Prosecutors later presented evidence that Deller made 28 calls to Mullen between September 2 and September 9, 2024.

During closing arguments, prosecutors emphasized Deller’s failure to report the incident to police. They argued her actions went against reasonable self-defense measures.