Family and friends are grieving the tragic loss of 34-year-old Nancy Bacon and her 4-year-old daughter, Eden Ava Barker Wickramarachchi, who were fatally shot by Bacon’s estranged husband on Tuesday night.
Nancy Bacon, whose maiden name was Barker, and her daughter were discovered deceased inside their home at the Marion Springs Condominiums (3525 E Fort King St) shortly before midnight on Tuesday, February 10.
“Nancy and Eden will be missed beyond measure,” said Vernon Barker in a statement shared on social media. “During this difficult time of loss we ask that you pray for our family.”
A GoFundMe campaign established by a coworker of Eden’s grandmother seeks to help the Barker family manage the sudden financial burdens following the tragedy. The fundraiser aims to cover funeral and memorial expenses, as well as immediate costs that have arisen while the family navigates their grief.
Another GoFundMe established for the family describes Nancy as the “kind of person who lifted others without even trying.”
The victims were killed by Ralph Bacon, Nancy’s estranged husband with whom she had recently reconnected. Mr. Bacon fled the scene in a dark SUV immediately after the shooting.
Following a pursuit across state lines, authorities tracked his vehicle into Georgia, where Bacon took his own life during a traffic stop approximately seven miles north of the Florida border.
In a press conference Wednesday, Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken described the couple’s relationship as “challenging” and “on again, off again.” He confirmed that the pair had recently reconciled around the holidays and that Ralph’s relationship with Eden, who was not his biological daughter, was a “key issue” between the couple.
On December 26, 2025, Nancy posted the following photo of her and Ralph on Instagram:
The caption for the photo read “This man gave me my last name in 2008 ❤️ Merry Christmas 🎄🎁 love you.”
“They had been working to get their relationship back together,” said Balken. Despite the tragic outcome, Balken noted that there were no previous reports of domestic violence that could have served as a warning for the incident.