Navy veteran with dementia found dead
Elderly Veteran Found Dead in Assisted Living Freezer
1. A Shocking Discovery
When Kristen Spencer checked her 83-year-old father’s room camera at The Waverly Assisted Living in Trinity,
Florida, “the light was on, but my dad was not in his room.”
Hours later, William Eugene “Gene” Ray, a retired U.S. Navy veteran, was found dead inside a walk-in freezer.
2. A Tragic Night
Footage showed Ray leaving his room around 12:30 a.m. and never returning.
“She said, ‘We found him… He’s in the freezer,’” Spencer recalled.
Authorities said the death appeared accidental, with “no foul play suspected.”
3. Questions of Safety
Spencer wondered, “If we had not called the facility, when would they have found him?”
She urged stricter safety for dementia patients after small red flags went unnoticed.
4. Facility Response
The Waverly said it was “deeply saddened” and called the event unprecedented, stressing,
“The safety, dignity, and well-being of our residents is — and always will be — our highest priority.”
