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A man who, as a teenager lost his hands, feet and parts of his limbs is a "person of interest" in the fatal shootings of his parents in their home, police in the US state of Florida say.
Sean Petrozzino made headlines with his positive attitude after bacterial meningitis left him a quadruple amputee at 16. His bravery prompted donations of a voice-command laptop, wheelchair ramps and a specially equipped van.
On Wednesday, Petrozzino, now 30, made headlines again, this time, police in Orlando say, as a dangerous man wanted for questioning in the double homicide.
The bodies of Nancy Petrozzino, 64, and Michael Petrozzino, 63, were found on Tuesday, prompting a search for Petrozzino and his father's red Toyota Camry car.
He was a person of interest, not a suspect, sheriff's spokeswoman Jane Watrel said on Wednesday.
"We want him to get in here and talk to us so we can find out what happened since he was apparently living with his parents," Watrel said.
Homicide detectives released a surveillance photo of Petrozzino taken near a Wells Fargo ATM in Orlando on Tuesday.
"Please note for identification purposes the physical characteristics of his hands," Watrel said, adding that no other details about the picture would be released. Police thought he had a gun.
Jerry Saunders, chief executive of ABC Prosthetics and Orthotics in Orlando, said people without hands had the ability to fire weapons without special devices. "There is very little [a person] can't do functionally," Saunders said.
In 2000, newspapers profiled Petrozzino, then 16, as he recovered from bacterial meningitis. He and his parents were living in the area and Petrozzino went to school there.
"Lots of important things in life just happen by chance," he said at the time. "You know someone and get a job that makes you millions of dollars. Or you get a disease.
"There doesn't seem to be any reason some things happen. I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me. As much as I feel bad about what happened, I feel good that my family and all my friends stood by me."
"We are so proud of his attitude," said Michael Petrozzino at the time. "This thing has been very hard for us to take. He is adopted and he is our world."
A family member said on Wednesday that Sean Petrozzino had quite recently separated from his wife in Georgia and moved back in his old home with his parents, long-time teacher Nancy and Walt Disney World cast member Michael .
His mother-in-law, Cathleen Horne, said Petrozzino has always been a calm and peaceful person. Deputies were called to the family's home outside Orlando on Tuesday morning after staff at Nancy Petrozzino's school noticed she was missing and asked for a well-being check.
The couple, married for 41 years, were found dead inside the home.
Records show Sean Petrozzino and his wife lived in east Orange County in California before they moved to Georgia about a year ago.
A foreclosure notice was filed on their home, near Orlando's Valencia College, in August.
Primitivo Vasquez, who has lived in the house next door for 25 years, said Petrozzino and his wife kept to themselves, except when Sean took out his dog.
"He seemed normal. I never had a reason to worry about him," said Vasquez. "I cannot imagine him doing something like this, I don't think he would be able to."


Couple shot dead; son with no hands wanted for questioning in Florida

Police released this surveillance image of Sean Petrozzino withdrawing cash from an ATM on Tuesday. Petrozzino was living with parents Michael and Nancy (inset). Photos: SCMP Pictures

Police released this surveillance image of Sean Petrozzino withdrawing cash from an ATM on Tuesday.Photos: SCMP Pictures

Petrozzino was living with parents Michael and Nancy.

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Sean Petrozzino, who was hailed for his childhood bravery in facing disease, is now a 'person of interest' in parents' murder


A man who, as a teenager lost his hands, feet and parts of his limbs is a "person of interest" in the fatal shootings of his parents in their home, police in the US state of Florida say.


Couple shot dead; son with no hands wanted for questioning in Florida

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Sean Petrozzino, who was hailed for his childhood bravery in facing disease, is now a 'person of interest' in parents' murder

Sean Petrozzino, who was hailed for his childhood bravery in facing disease, is now a 'person of interest' in parents' murder