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Apparent Murder-Suicide Shocks Friends, Family

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By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 3, 2008

Updated: 11/03/2008 08:54 pm

The past few days have been a nightmare for Natalie Giambarberee, and none of it feels real, she said.
Alicia Chomic, her best friend for 10 years, was a happy person who went to the beach and shopping with her and always helped lift her spirits. But on Friday morning, the body of Chomic, 23, was found in a bedroom with the bodies of Chomic's sons, Anthony Michael Lietz Jr., 15 months; Damian Michael Lietz, 2; and Thomas Anthony Goldsmith Jr., 4.

Deputies say the four likely died sometime Thursday night. The Citrus County Sheriff's Office is treating the deaths at 4983 E. Stoer Lane in Floral City as a murder-suicide. Authorities said a firearm was recovered nearby.

"It hasn't really clicked in my head yet," Giambarberee told The Tampa Tribune today. "I'm kind of scared to go to the funeral because when I see it, I'm just going to flip out."

Several of Alicia Chomic's friends have expressed their shock and sadness on the MySpace page she shares with the father of her two youngest children.

One person told Anthony Lietz, the father of Damien and Thomas, that she would be there for him if he needed her.

"You know I'm always here for you to talk to!" the person wrote. "You and your family are in my prayers."

Deputies said Chomic had moved back to the home of her mother and stepfather with the children in the past week. Public records indicate she had lived in Pasco County for the past several years.
Chomic's mother and stepfather are distraught and are working with a victim advocate.

Detectives still have not found a suicide note, Citrus County sheriff's spokeswoman Heather Yates said today. Chomic had no history of violence, sheriff's officials said.

"I don't know that we will ever know the 'why' that she did this," Yates said. The investigation continues.

"She's a sweet, loving person," Giambarberee said. "Her kids were her first priority. She brought them to Disney, always made sure they were comfortable when she put them to bed. I remember after she had her first kid, I said, 'How do you like being a mom?' And she said, 'It's nice just having somebody to love.' "

Chomic's step-sister, Michelle Stillman, 22, said she last spoke to Chomic about two months ago. Stillman said Chomic was "very quiet" and was never angry or mean.

"I know she had issues in her life, but she hid them very well," Stillman said. "She never acted upset when she was upset. She never acted sad when she was sad."

Thomas Anthony Goldsmith, the father of Chomic's oldest son, is incarcerated at the Wakulla Correctional Institution in Crawfordville. He was arrested Oct. 9 for violating probation.

Goldsmith, 25, has previous convictions on charges of possession of a controlled substance, stalking, battery and domestic violence.

In 2005, he was accused of pushing her and punching her in the face when she was four months' pregnant with his child.

He is scheduled for release in March.

A search of records in Pasco and Citrus counties show they married in New Port Richey on Oct. 4, 2005, and do not show whether they were divorced. Two days later in Pasco Circuit Court, Chomic filed a petition against Goldsmith for child support, which was later granted.

The father of Chomic's two youngest boys, Anthony Lietz, 25, of Pasco County, could not immediately be reached for comment. His criminal record includes convictions for grand theft and possession of a controlled substance.

He pleaded guilty in 2001 to charges of carrying a concealed firearm, court records show, but adjudication was withheld. On Feb. 14, 2007, Lietz was arrested on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge against Chomic; he pleaded not guilty and the case was dropped.

Reporter Lisa Davis contributed to this report. Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at jpoltilove@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7691.

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