U.S. Coast Guard officer, wife and 2 children found dead inside home

Authorities are investigating what caused the death of a U.S. Coast Guard officer, his wife and their two children, whose bodies were found inside the family's Central Florida home.

The Marion County Sheriff's Office reported deputies responded to a home in Ocalafor a welfare check on Feb. 6and found all four relatives dead.

The home is about 40 miles south of Gainesville and about 70 miles northeast of Orlando.

The department identified the victims as Yohan Sanchez, 33, Rebeca Santos, 37, Michael Melendez, 15 and Samuel Sanchez, 2.

According to the agency, just before 10:30 p.m. on Jan. 7, deputies responded to a residence on Banyan Track Way in Ocala for a welfare check.

Arriving deputies, the department reported, found two adults and two children dead inside their home.

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How did Yolan Sanchez and his family die?

According to a preliminary investigation, the agency reported, no foul play is suspected in the deaths.

In an updated post on social media, the sheriff's office wrote detectives suspected the deaths may have been the result of carbon monoxide poisoning −an invisible and odorless gas.

Officials did not release details, but the agency cautioned the victims' official cause and manner of deaths remain pending autopsy results from thelocal Medical Examiner's Office.

"Our thoughts are with their loved ones during this incredibly difficult time," the department wrote.

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Family found dead in Ocala after welfare check

According to an onlinefundraiserlaunched by Noel Sanchez, Yohan Sanchez's sister, he "proudly served as a member of the United States Coast Guard."

"Our family is grieving this unimaginable tragedy, and this fundraiser is to help cover funeral expenses and support our family during this incredibly difficult time," Noel Sanchez, of Massachusetts, wrote. "Thank you for your prayers, compassion, and support."

Her brother's rank and where he was stationed were not immediately known.

USA TODAY has reached out to the U.S. Coast Guard for more information.

A neighbor toldthe Ocala Star-Banner, part of the USA TODAY Network, the family moved into their home about 10 months ago, and said they were "nice, friendly people who valued their privacy."

The Ocala Christian Academy Administrator Randy Osborn reported Michael Melendez was a ninth-grade student at the school.

"Faculty commended his leadership abilities and his desire to study the Bible," Osborne said. "He was deeply engaged in his local church community and was preparing to preach last Thursday evening. He enjoyed playing the piano, but more importantly, strived to serve God and others."

The case remained under investigation on Feb. 10.

Contributing:Austin L. Millerwith the Ocala Star-Banner

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Family found dead in Ocala home, carbon monoxoide poisoning suspected

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February 10, 2026

U.S. Coast Guard officer, wife and 2 children found dead inside home

Authorities are investigating what caused the death of a U.S. Coast Guard officer, his wife and their two children, whos...

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Government unseals affidavit filed in support of Fulton County election raid

Federal authorities unsealed Tuesday the affidavit they filed in support of their search of a Fulton County, Georgia,election officelast month, following an order by a federal judge.

FBI agents on Jan. 28 seized 700 boxes containing ballots and other materials associated with the 2020 election from the county's  Elections Hub and Operations Center after obtaining a search warrant. President Donald Trump has repeatedly made baseless claims that there wasvoter fraudin the 2020 election, specifically in Georgia, that contributed to his election loss.

U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee, a Trump nominee, on Sunday ordered the government to unseal the affidavit that was filed in support of the search warrant, subject to "the redaction of the names of non-governmental witnesses."

Fulton County files motion seeking return of seized 2020 ballots, spokesperson says

In his ruling, Boulee noted that the government did not oppose the unsealing of the affidavit, which could provide more information on the search and the investigation that lead to it.

The ruling came after Fulton County Chairman Robb Pittsfiled a motionseeking the unsealing of the affidavit, as well as the return of the election documents that were seized.

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Pitt's office said Tuesday it was reviewing the affidavit and that he would hold a news conference in the afternoon.

Pitts had earlier said in a statement he was "pleased" with the judge's ruling.

"Fulton County will continue to pursue every legal option to seek the return of election records and to defend our elections from possible takeover," Pitts said. "Even in the midst of this unprecedented legal action, we will not allow our staff to be deterred or distracted from preparations for the 2026 election, which will be once again free, fair, transparent and legally compliant."

While the judge on Sunday ordered the release of the affidavit that was the basis for the search warrant, the warrant itselfauthorized the FBIto search for "All physical ballots from the 2020 General Election" in addition to tabulator tapes from voting machines and 2020 voter rolls, according to a copy of the warrant that was obtained by ABC Atlanta affiliate WSB following the raid.

The warrant said the material "constitutes evidence of the commission of a criminal offense."

The warrant listed possible violations of two statutes -- one which requires election records to be retained for a certain amount of time, and another which outlines criminal penalties for people, including election officials, who intimidate voters or to knowingly procure false votes or false voter registrations.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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February 10, 2026

Government unseals affidavit filed in support of Fulton County election raid

Federal authorities unsealed Tuesday the affidavit they filed in support of their search of a Fulton County, Georgia,ele...

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Violence breaks out at anti-government protest in Albanian capital

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Riot police fired tear gas and water cannon at protesters throwing Molotov cocktails and flares during a demonstration Tuesday night in central Tirana by thousands of opposition supporters demanding the resignation of Albania's government.

APTOPIX Albania Protest

Prime Minister Edi Rama's government has come under fire over corruption allegations involving Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, but Rama has resisted calls to dismiss her. There have been growing demands that lawmakers lift Balluku's immunity from prosecution, which can only be done in a parliamentary vote.

Anti-corruption prosecutors have accused Balluku, who is also minister for energy and infrastructure, of interfering in public procurement for construction projects to favor certain companies, and has called for her immunity to be lifted.

Tuesday night's protest in the Albanian capital was attended by thousands of people. It was the third such demonstration in recent months demanding Rama's resignation. More than 1,300 police officers had been deployed to ensure security. Previous protests also turned violent, with demonstrators throwing Molotov cocktails and rocks at police and a government building, and with authorities responding with tear gas and water cannons.

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Opposition Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha, a former prime minister who has also faced corruption charges himself, described the protest as a "peaceful uprising" at a critical moment for Albania. Speaking at the protest, he accused Rama of "declaring war on the justice system."

Political analyst Mentor Kikia said it was unlikely that any major change would result from the protests. "Citizens are distrustful, having consistently voted for the lesser evil to remove the greater evil from power," he said.

"The current perception is that if Rama leaves, Berisha will return. One left power because of corruption, the other must also leave power because of corruption," Kikia said.

Albania hopes to join the European Union, and is under close monitoring by the bloc as part of its accession process, which it hopes to complete by 2027.

However, international watchdogs say the country continues to suffer from widespread corruption.

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February 10, 2026

Violence breaks out at anti-government protest in Albanian capital

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Riot police fired tear gas and water cannon at protesters throwing Molotov cocktails and flares d...

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Snoop Dogg's daughter mourns infant's death in memorial

Snoop Dogg'sfamily is mourning the loss of one of their own.

The rapper'sdaughter, Cori Broadus, buried her daughter in a memorial over the weekend, she shared on social media Monday, Feb. 9. Broadus' infant daughter, Codi,died earlier thismonth, after suffering several health complications following a premature birth.

Codi's death comes less than a year after Broadus welcomed the child with fiancé Wayne "Duece" Polk.

Broadus, 26, took to Instagram to share photos of the memorial, posting photos of friends and family at the gravesite dressed in various hues of pink and white. "Part of me went with you, my girl for life," shecaptioned the Instagram carousel.

Snoop Dogg shares support for familyafter death of baby granddaughter

Broadus, a makeup company founder, announced in December 2024 that she was pregnant with a baby girl, but revealed in February 2025 that she was in the neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU, after being born prematurely at 25 weeks.

Codi spent 10 months in the NICU before coming home with Broadus in early January. "Thank you for every prayer, every message, every ounce of love. God heard them all," she captioned a photoposted to Instagramof herself and Codi snuggling in bed at the time.

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In a video posted to the Instagram carousel Feb. 9, Broadus mourned her daughter's death and the life that they did not get to live together.

"I wanted to show you how to be kind in a hard world, how to be brave when life feels unfair, how to love yourself fiercely," she said. "I wanted to watch you take your first steps, celebrate your first birthday, walk you to your first day of school."

Through tears, she continued: "I wanted to be there for your wins, your heartbreaks, your questions and everything in between.

Catherine O'Hara, the legendary actress known for "Home Alone," "Best in Show" and "Schitt's Creek," died on Jan. 30 at the age of 71, O'Hara's manager confirmed to People magazine. A cause of death was not given.

A veteran in the entertainment industry, O'Hara has been one of the most lauded and respected actors of her generation, winner of two career Emmy awards, a Golden Globe and two Actor Awards (formerly Screen Actors Guild Awards). She was nominated for two Emmys at the 2025 ceremony. 

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Chuck Negron, founding member of "One" and "Til the World Ends" rockers Three Dog Night, has died. He was 83.

The singer died Feb. 2 at his home in Los Angeles' Studio City neighborhood from heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease complications, publicist Zach Farnum confirmed to USA TODAY.

Singers Danny Hutton and Cory Wells invited the New York City native to found Three Dog Night in 1967, going on to lead a successful run through the early '70s. Their 21 Billboard Hot 100 top 40 hit singles include "Til the World Ends" and "Joy to the World." But the band is perhaps best known for their covers, popularizing Leo Sayer's "The Show Must Go On," Eric Burdon's "Mama Told Me," "Easy to Be Hard" from the musical "Hair" and Harry Nilsson's "One."

Negron embarked on a solo career, releasing the albums "Am I Still in Your Heart?," "Long Road Back" and the Christmas record "Joy to the World."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Rafael Pineda, known to countless viewers as the familiar face of Univision 1, has died. He was 88.

Univision 41 announced the news with a story on its website, confirming Pineda died Jan. 25, in Florida.

Pineda anchored WXTV, or Univision 1, in New York for more than 40 years from 1972 to 2013, when he retired. When he left the network, he was the longest-serving news anchor in the New York market and a pioneering Spanish-language voice.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Kim Vō, the celebrity hair colorist behind the blond tresses of stars such as Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Pamela Anderson and Goldie Hawn, has died.

Vō died following a seven-year battle with colorectal cancer that saw him "exceeding all medical expectations," his husband, Adeel Vo-Khan, wrote in a Jan. 24 social media post.

Aside from working with celebrity clients, Vō also appeared on shows like Bravo's "Shear Genius" and the 2022 Paramount+ show "Blowing LA," which featured his flagship salon in West Hollywood, California.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Rob Hirst, the Australian rock drummer best known for cofounding the band Midnight Oil, has died at age 70 following a battle with pancreatic cancer, Hirst's bandmates revealed on social media on Jan. 20. Hirst had been diagnosed in 2023.

The musician released 13 studio albums with Midnight Oil from 1978-2022, including 1987's platinum-selling "Diesel and Dust." He was also a member of the bands Ghostwriters and Backsliders.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Valentino Garavani, Italian fashion designer to the stars, died at 93.

A post shared Jan. 19 on Instagram by his foundation and his own @realmrvalentino account reads, "Our founder, Valentino Garavani, passed away today at his Roman residence, surrounded by his loved ones." His cause of death was not given.

The founder of the eponymous brand Valentino retired from designing in 2008 after a storied career in fashion that included dressing notable figures, such as Jackie Kennedy, Princess Diana, Joan Collins, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Penelope Cruz and Sharon Stone. He also introduced a signature shade of crimson, with a hit of orange, known as "Valentino Red."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Roger Allers, the Oscar-nominated animated filmmaker who co-directed Disney's 1994 blockbuster hit "The Lion King," died on Jan. 17, the company's CEO announced. He was 76.

Allers died following "a short illness," a Walt Disney Animation Studios spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter and Animation Magazine. USA TODAY reached out to the studio and his family for additional information.

Disney CEO Bob Iger spoke about Allers' death in a Jan. 18 social media post, calling the director a "creative visionary whose many contributions to Disney will live on for generations to come."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Scott Adams, the cartoonist who created the long-running "Dilbert" comic strip, has died at 68 after a battle with prostate cancer. Adams shared his cancer diagnosis in May 2025. In 2023, numerous newspapers dropped his comic strip after he made racist comments saying that white people should "get the hell away from Black people."

Adams' ex-wife, Shelly Miles, announced his death during a Jan. 13 livestream. She also read a message from Adams, which he authored at the start of the year. "I had an amazing life," Adams wrote in his New Year's Day letter. "I gave it everything I had. If I got any benefits from my work, I'm asking that you pay it forward as best as you can. That's the legacy I want: be useful. And please know, I loved you all to the very end."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bob Weir, a founding member of the Grateful Dead, died on Jan. 10 at age 78. Weir's death was announced in a post on Instagram, which said the cause was "underlying lung issues."

"For over sixty years, Bobby took to the road. A guitarist, vocalist, storyteller, and founding member of the Grateful Dead. Bobby will forever be a guiding force whose unique artistry reshaped American music," the post said. "His work did more than fill rooms with music; it was warm sunlight that filled the soul, building a community, a language, and a feeling of family that generations of fans carry with them."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Actor T.K. Carter died on Jan. 9 at age 69, representatives confirmed to USA TODAY.

Born Thomas Kent Carter, the actor was known for his roles in films like "The Thing" and TV shows like "Punky Brewster." "T.K. Carter was a consummate professional and a genuine soul whose talent transcended genres," his publicist, Tony Freeman, said. "He brought laughter, truth, and humanity to every role he touched. His legacy will continue to inspire generations of artists and fans alike."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Grammy-nominated country songwriter Jim McBride, known for cowriting over a dozen Alan Jackson records, including "Chattahoochee," has died. He was 78.

Jackson confirmed McBride's death in an Instagram tribute on Jan. 8.

"Jim and I wrote some of my favorite songs together and I don't know if my career would have ended up quite the same without his help," Jackson wrote, "inspiration, and encouragement in my early years. Thank you Jim, rest in peace." The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer is also credited with helping write Conway Twitty's "A Bridge That Just Won't Burn," among other songs.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Hungarian director Béla Tarr, best known for dark dramas such as "Damnation," "Satantango" and "The Turin Horse," died on Jan. 6 following a "long and serious illness," the European Film Academy announced in a tribute to the late filmmaker.

2011's "The Turin Horse," Tarr's final feature film, won best foreign language film at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, as well as the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Passages 2026: Catherine O'Hara, LaMonte McLemore and more stars we lost

Catherine O'Hara, the legendary actress known for "Home Alone," "Best in Show" and "Schitt's Creek," died on Jan. 30 at the age of 71, O'Hara's manager confirmed to People magazine. A cause of death was not given.A veteran in the entertainment industry, O'Hara has been one of the most lauded and respected actors of her generation, winner of two career Emmy awards, a Golden Globe and two Actor Awards (formerly Screen Actors Guild Awards). She was nominated for two Emmys at the 2025 ceremony.

"I don't understand why this happened," the rapper's youngest child said. "I'm trusting God, but that doesn't mean it makes sense to me. Some days I wonder if this world was just too cruel for someone as pure as you. Other days, I wonder how I'm supposed to live in a world without you in my arms, Codi."

Sharing the news of Codi's death on social media in February, Polk expressed grief and love.

"I been the saddest since u left me Codi Dreaux. But I know u at peace. Daddy will always love you," he wrote on his Instagram stories, alongside a photo of him holding his daughter.

Contributing: Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Snoop Dogg's granddaughter buried in memorial

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February 10, 2026

Snoop Dogg's daughter mourns infant's death in memorial

Snoop Dogg'sfamily is mourning the loss of one of their own. The rapper'sdaughter, Cori Broadus, buri...

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