The parents of Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Abigail Bieber, a Montgomery County native who graduated from Walter Johnson High School in 2009, are still looking for answers in the murder-suicide that claimed their daughter’s life. Deputy Bieber was killed when she was fatally shot on January 29, 2022 by Detective Daniel Leyden- a member of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office criminal investigations division who killed Bieber and then took his own life.
“Abigail Bieber’s parents still sometimes break down sobbing at the hardware store or while grocery shopping. They feel her loss at family dinners and when they pass a photo of her in her deputy’s uniform.” Justin Garcia recently wrote in the Tampa Bay Times. “Bieber’s death — so sudden, so violent — has challenged her family’s trust of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.”
According to the Tampa Bay Times, family members are currently in disagreement with Sheriff Chad Chronister over the response of his agency following Bieber’s death and the handling of an incident involving Leyden’s previous girlfriend in the past. A spokesperson from the department expressed their sympathy towards the Bieber family to the Times, acknowledging that the organization also feels the absence of Abigail every day. However, the Biebers believe that this is not sufficient. Abigail’s father, Bruce, raised concerns about the prevalence of officer-involved domestic violence nationwide and expressed worries that the agency is not taking proactive measures to address potential issues with their deputies. “It’s like they just want it to go away”, Bruce said to the Tampa Bay Times in the story that details what occurred and what has happened since.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office honored Deputy Bieber in June 2022. Deputy Bieber’s parents, Bruce and Sara Bieber, were present for the unveiling of her uniform at Mission BBQ in Town-N-Country Florida. Her patrol shirt is on display at the restaurant in her memory: “As a passionate advocate for child victims, Deputy Bieber frequently and diligently responded to calls for service related to sexual battery and child abuse. She aspired to one day become a detective within the Criminal Investigations Division Special Victims Section. During her nearly four years at HCSO, Deputy Bieber had a number of remarkable encounters, including everything from taking drugs off of our streets to serving as a role model to children she met during her shifts. Known for her contagious smile, Deputy Bieber was a friend to fellow deputies and a bright spot in a dark world, as described by a squadmate. Co-workers also described Deputy Bieber as a young woman with a positive attitude who never shied away from tough investigations. She was known for being kind, genuine, caring, and empathetic with the demeanor of a veteran law enforcement officer.”