Suzanne Courtade was remembered for her public service and close bond with her daughter as homicide detectives continued investigating their deaths.
POMPANO BEACH, Fla. — Friends, neighbors and colleagues are mourning a longtime Lauderdale-by-the-Sea employee and her daughter after the two women were fatally shot outside their Pompano Beach home, a case that has led to two first-degree murder charges.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office identified the victims as Suzanne Courtade, 66, and Meghan Courtade, 23. Deputies arrested David Keith Thornton, 64, who authorities identified as Suzanne Courtade’s boyfriend. The sheriff’s office said deputies responded about 7:21 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, to reports of gunfire in the 1500 block of Southwest Fifth Avenue and found the mother and daughter unresponsive outside the residence. Pompano Beach Fire Rescue pronounced both women dead.
Suzanne Courtade worked in human resources for the town of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, according to colleagues and town officials. Mayor Edmund Malkoon said her kindness, warmth and dedication had touched many people and described her as someone who cared deeply about others and took pride in serving the community. Her death, along with her daughter’s, brought grief both to the neighborhood where the family lived and to the small coastal town where she worked.
Karen Gates, who said she worked with Suzanne Courtade for five years, remembered her as dependable and generous. Gates told CBS News Miami that Suzanne would help anyone who needed it. She also described Suzanne and Meghan as especially close, saying the mother and daughter spent much of their free time together, including going to movies and simply spending time with each other.
Neighbors offered similar memories. Douglas Newton, who had known Suzanne Courtade for years, described her and her family as friendly people who were well known on the dead-end street. He said there had been no outward signs of trouble at the home. By Friday, flowers and candles had been placed near the residence as neighbors and friends stopped to remember the women.
The criminal investigation, meanwhile, continued to focus on what happened Thursday evening. The Broward Sheriff’s Office said witnesses reported hearing several gunshots and seeing Thornton with an object in his hand. Deputies detained Thornton as they approached the residence. Detectives later obtained a search warrant and seized three firearms and seven spent shell casings from the home and a vehicle parked outside.
An arrest affidavit cited by CBS News Miami says Suzanne Courtade called 911 after discovering that Meghan had been shot and sought help from a neighbor who was a nurse. Investigators wrote that the emergency call later captured Suzanne telling someone named Dave to put down a gun before more gunfire was heard. Additional neighbors also called 911, according to the affidavit. Those allegations are part of the evidence investigators are gathering and have not been proven in court.
The sheriff’s office said Thornton was subsequently arrested on two counts of first-degree murder. Neighbors told detectives that Thornton had been Suzanne Courtade’s longtime partner and that the three had lived together as a family for more than 18 years. Authorities have not publicly identified a motive for the shooting.
The deaths left two communities dealing with the loss in different ways: neighbors placed a memorial outside the Pompano Beach home, while Suzanne Courtade’s colleagues remembered her years of service to Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. Thornton remains accused in the case, and the charges against him are allegations unless proven in court. Broward homicide detectives said the investigation remains active.
Author note: Last updated November 14, 2026.