Venezuelan singer and composer Gus Ormo has been found dead in the swimming pool at his home in Weston, Florida, prompting a homicide investigation.
The pianist was discovered face down in the pool on Friday morning at the property on Quail Roost Drive, near Fort Lauderdale. An emergency call made at about 9am reported a possible drowning and said the person in the water had been “tied up”.
Ormo was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives have described the circumstances as suspicious, although authorities have not said whether a crime was committed.
Aerial footage showed what appeared to be a long blue cord across the patio, with part of it extending into the pool. Investigators have not established whether the cord was attached to Ormo or was connected to his death.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office has assigned homicide and crime scene detectives to the case. Spokesperson Gerdy St Louis said investigators were examining the circumstances surrounding the musician’s death.
Ormo’s body was taken to the Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office, where specialists are working to determine how he died. No cause of death has been released.
The death has unsettled the gated Weston community, where neighbours said incidents of this kind were highly unusual. Residents described Ormo as a private man who attracted little attention despite his musical career.
“It’s sad what happened, and it wasn’t something I expected to happen in Weston,” neighbour Bruno Gedikinan told NBC 6.
Another resident, Mariano Cascata, said: “It’s weird to happen. It’s not normal, of course.”
Ormo’s sister, Antonieta, confirmed his death to CBS News Miami and said the family had received little information about what had happened.
Investigators are still working to establish who made the emergency call, how long Ormo had been in the water and whether anybody else was at the property when deputies arrived.
Gus Ormo’s musical career
Ormo was known for romantic compositions and expressive piano arrangements inspired by love, human connection and his Venezuelan heritage.
He had recently promoted AGAPE, an instrumental piano album he described as an important new stage in his career. An announcement about the release said it reflected his deeply personal relationship with music, which began in childhood.
“In a world that makes us experience emotional numbness, the album is an invitation to feel without filters or need for words,” Ormo said. “It’s my way to give back to music all it has given me.”
Earlier this year, he appeared at a red-carpet event in Aventura, Florida, where he spoke about his career and his pride in his Venezuelan roots. He had also composed a tribute to his homeland exploring reconciliation and unity.
