Police Still Baffled over Florida Murder of Canadian Jewish Couple
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David Pichosky, 71, and Rochelle Wise, 66
Photo Credit: Facebook
The murder of a retired Canadian Jewish couple—David “Donny” Pichosky, 71, and Rochelle Wise, 66—remains a mystery, two weeks after their bodies were discovered in their winter home at the Venetian Park Apartments in Hallandale, South Florida.
Hallandale police detectives are scheduled to arrive in Toronto today, Sunday, where they will meet with police and question the couple’s family, friends, and business associates.
“We want to establish who the victims knew and who they had daily contact with,” Hallandale police Chief Dwayne Fluornoy told the Sun Sentinel.
Fluornoy will join two of his detectives and the commander in charge of the investigation on the visit to Toronto.
The couple’s funeral service drew a standing-room-only crowd of more than 1,000, according to The Canadian Jewish News. Rabbi Chaim Strauchler, spiritual leader of Shaarei Shomayim Congregation, said at the double funeral at Benjamin’s Park Memorial Chapel, “We are overwhelmed by tragedy, and we are beset with questions.”
The couple’s bodies were discovered on Jan. 10. So far, police have not disclosed how they were killed and any possible motive. Fluornoy has rvealed that police have not yet “zeroed in on a person of interest,” but asserted that they were pursuing “solid, good leads.”
“Although we haven’t been able to discuss much, we’ve made a tremendous amount of progress,” Fluornoy said last Thursday.
Rochelle Wise’s son, Jamie, told the guests at the funeral that he was “confused, frozen, angry, shocked and broken… searching for information, answers, resolution and justice. These questions won’t stop, and shouldn’t stop, until justice is found.”
In his eulogy he recalled how his mother would “inspire, teach, and encourage people to dream… to see the potential within them.”
Wise worked as preschool administrator at Bialik Hebrew Day School and was a founding director of Crestwood Valley Day Camp.
Her husband of four years David Pichosky was a retired businessman who volunteered with seniors at Baycrest. He had spent more than 20 winters in Florida.
Jamie Wise said his mother had “truly found her bashert” in Pichosky, whom he recalled as kind and gentle, according to The Canadian Jewish News. He read from a note Rochelle Wise had left him and his sister, in which she wrote: “Please remember what I taught you about love and kindness, respect for others, and your responsibility to the Jewish community. Remember to acknowledge daily the gifts and blessings God has given you.”
Wise’s daughter, Dina Shapiro, recalled her mother as an “incredible, loving, formidable, charitable woman” who was devoted to her family and her work.
Last Tuesday evening, Fluornoy met with more than 75 members of the Venetian Park condo association, to assure them that they had no reason to live in fear.
Fluornoy asked residents with surveillance cameras to notify police so that they could review the footage.
“Venetian Park is well off the beaten path,” Fluornoy said. “For someone to come here accidentally or unintentionally … I don’t see that happening.”
Buddy Tyler, a neighbor, said he thinks what Fluornoy means is that the killings were not a random act of violence.
Daniel Alexander, who has lived at Venetian Park for just six months, said the chief’s words disturbed him.
“I wish I had more explanation, more details on the case,” Alexander said. “Unfortunately, I’m more concerned than before, because we don’t know who did it, how they did it… It raises more concerns.”
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