ORLANDO, Fla. — First Baptist Orlando Church confirmed the passing of Pastor Bill Curl’s wife, Lucy Pat Curl, after she was attacked during a home invasion on Jan. 31.

Dear First Orlando,

This morning, Lucy Pat Curl, wife of longtime First Orlando Pastor Bill Curl, passed away following life-threatening injuries last Friday. She has now been healed, and is in the presence of our Savior.

The Curl family has shared the following message:

On Tuesday, Lucy Pat was taken off life support. She went on to Heaven early this morning. We rejoice that she is no longer in pain. 

The circumstances of her passing are shocking and abrupt, and not what we would have expected or chosen. But as our Lord has forgiven us, we are asked to forgive each other. 

At one point, Bill (her husband) took her picture before the results of the attack had been cleaned up. When asked what he would do with a picture like that, his response was, “I’m going to show it to the man who did this to her. Then I’m going to forgive him. I refuse to let his actions dictate who I am.” So we would ask for you to do the same. 

Please respect the family’s privacy as we begin to figure out what life after Lucy Pat looks like. We request and appreciate your prayers.

Her celebration service will be on Sunday, February 16, at 4:00pm at First Baptist Church of Orlando,

In Christ,
The Curl Extended Family

We are heartbroken. And our love and continued prayers are with the extended Curl family.

Since the news of Curl’s attack, the Central Florida community has rallied its support for a woman, who, according to First Baptist, “has helped Orlando be filled with love, joy and kindness.”

According to the Orlando Police Department’s arrest affidavit, Ronald Dwayne Davis, 55, is accused of posing as a community service officer and forcing his way into Curl’s home.

The report said she was repeatedly struck in the head and knocked unconscious with what they believe was a crystal candy jar, despite putting up a fight.

Responding officers said they found the home in disarray, and found that jewelry and coins from a "unique coin collection" had been stolen.

Investigators were able to identify Davis as a person of interest after finding his wallet, with his ID still inside, left behind at the crime scene.

He was found living in a shed in the 2500 block of Telstar Avenue in Orlando, and after obtaining a search warrant for the shed, officers reported finding a sweater with blood on it, jewelry, a jewelry box and coins that William Curl identified as the ones taken from his home.

According to the report, Davis had been released from prison on June 11, 2024, after serving a 15-year sentence for burglary, robbery, theft, dealing in stolen property and receiving money from a pawn broker after giving false information.

Lucy Curl told investigators that her assailant was gone when she woke up, but she couldn't find her phone to call 911, so she crawled out to her vehicle and honked the horn in the hopes that someone would hear and come help her.

When no one came after around 15 minutes, she crawled back into her home and sat on the couch, where her husband found her several hours later.

Because of her injuries, Curl was placed into a medically induced coma at Orlando Regional Medical Center. Staff told investigators that because of her age and some of the medication she was taking, "any surgery to assist with the swelling in her brain cannot be completed."

The 85-year-old had served alongside her husband for the past 52 years at First Baptist Orlando.

Davis was initially charged with home invasion robbery with a weapon, aggravated battery with a weapon and aggravated battery on a person 65 years or older with a deadly weapon. 

On Wednesday, the Orlando Police Department said in a statement that Davis has also been charged with first-degree murder in the commission of a home invasion.