PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. – A 32-year-old San Mateo woman has been sentenced to life in prison for the 2024 murder of a man whose body was dragged by a horse, submerged in a pond and later buried in a shallow grave on a farm in Hastings.
Caylen Suvanna Deller, 32, was found guilty Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, of first-degree murder with a firearm, tampering with physical evidence and failure to report a death following a three-day trial in Putnam County.
Immediately after the verdict, Circuit Judge Alicia Washington sentenced Deller to a mandatory life prison term for the murder of Chad Mullen, who disappeared in September 2024.
Victim Lured to Horse Stables and Shot Twice in Chest
According to prosecutors, Deller lured Mullen to her horse stables in San Mateo on Sept. 9, 2024.
Investigators determined that Deller shot Mullen at the property.
An autopsy later established that Mullen died from two gunshot wounds to the chest.
Following the killing, prosecutors said Deller enlisted the help of co-defendant Tina Marie Lee-Ellis to conceal Mullen’s body.
Deller used one of her horses to drag Mullen’s body to a nearby pond, where it was submerged.
Several days later, the body resurfaced.
Rather than report the death, investigators said Deller and Lee-Ellis moved the remains to a farm in Hastings, where they used an excavator to bury the body.
Detectives Discover Body in Shallow Grave After Weeks of Searching
Mullen was reported missing to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office on Sept. 15, 2024, six days after prosecutors said he was killed.
Detectives launched a missing-person investigation, following leads and collecting evidence over several weeks.
The investigation eventually led authorities to a farm in Hastings.
On Oct. 28, 2024, investigators discovered Mullen’s body buried in a shallow grave on the property.
The medical examiner determined that Mullen had died from two gunshot wounds to his chest.
The discovery and subsequent investigation helped prosecutors establish the circumstances surrounding Mullen’s death and the efforts to conceal his remains.
Jury Rejects Self-Defense Claim, Convicts Deller of First-Degree Murder
During the three-day trial, Deller maintained that she acted in self-defense.
Prosecutors challenged that explanation, presenting evidence concerning the shooting and the subsequent movement and burial of Mullen’s body.
The jury found Deller guilty as charged of all three offenses:
- First-degree murder with a firearm
- Tampering with physical evidence
- Failure to report a death of a person
Following the verdict, Judge Alicia Washington imposed the mandatory life sentence for first-degree murder.
State Attorney Says Verdict Brings Accountability
State Attorney R.J. Larizza criticized Deller’s self-defense claim and acknowledged the lasting impact of Mullen’s death on his family.
“The defendant claimed self-defense, but the jury wasn’t fooled by her lies,” Larizza said. “A life sentence is her reward.”
Larizza also addressed the suffering experienced by the victim’s family.
“Unfortunately, the family members of our victim will bear the burden of their loss for a lifetime as well. Justice cannot heal the family’s pain.”
Co-Defendant Tina Marie Lee-Ellis Still Facing Charges
Although Deller has been convicted and sentenced, the criminal case against Tina Marie Lee-Ellis remains pending.
Prosecutors identified Lee-Ellis as Deller’s co-defendant and alleged that she helped move and conceal Mullen’s body following the killing.
The State Attorney’s Office did not provide a trial date or additional information about the pending charges against Lee-Ellis.
She is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office investigated the murder with assistance from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Managing Assistant State Attorney Mike Willard and Chief of Homicide Jason Lewis prosecuted the case.
Circuit Judge Alicia Washington presided over the trial and imposed the life sentence.