What should’ve been a sunny family getaway turned into a full-blown attempted murder investigation after a “62-year-old British grandfather allegedly tried to drown his daughter-in-law” during an explosive family fight at a resort near Orlando. And yes, it all reportedly stemmed from an argument… over his “will”.
According to authorities in Polk County, Florida, the suspect — “Mark Raymond Gibbon” — now faces one count of “attempted murder” and “two counts of felony battery” after Sunday night’s shocking poolside confrontation at “Solterra Resort” in Davenport.
It all started with a verbal spat between Gibbon and his daughter-in-law, “Jasmine Wyld”, while the family was spending time in their vacation home. Things quickly turned physical — and terrifying — as Gibbon allegedly “grabbed Wyld and forced her head underwater” multiple times.
That’s already disturbing enough. But here’s where it gets even more gut-wrenching: Jasmine’s “9-year-old daughter” saw what was happening, ran outside, and “jumped into the pool to try to save her mom”.
Gibbon, according to witnesses, “pushed the child away” and “resumed his attack”, continuing to shove Wyld under the water.
One witness told deputies they “watched it happen” — the pushing, the scratching, the escalating violence — and ultimately told a friend to “call 911”, fearing for Wyld’s life. That same witness later told deputies she was convinced that “Wyld “could have been drowned”” had they not intervened.
Wyld later confirmed that the argument was over Gibbon’s “grandchildren and the contents of his will”, and described how he used “both hands to push her head under the water”, multiple times.
And while Gibbon admitted during his post-Miranda interview that he did push her underwater, he insisted that he “never intended to drown her.” (Yeah… try selling that one to a judge.)
Deputies noted that Gibbon “had no visible injuries”, while Wyld had a “prominent scratch across her chest” — a detail that matched witness accounts. Gibbon is currently being “held without bail” at the “Polk County Jail”.
Now look, family feuds can get heated. But this? This isn’t a scuffle over Thanksgiving dinner. This was a near-drowning, witnessed by a child, over a will — and it ended with a man in jail facing attempted murder charges. It’s not just disturbing — it’s chilling.
