A CELEBRATED musician has been found dead at the bottom of his swimming pool in Florida after reportedly being tied up with a cord.
Venezuelan composer and pianist Gus Ormo was discovered face down in the water at his luxury home in Weston, near Fort Lauderdale, on Friday morning.
Cops have launched a homicide investigation into the mysterious death, which authorities have described as suspicious.
Officers rushed to the property on Quail Roost Drive at around 9am after receiving a 911 call reporting a possible drowning.
Chilling audio from the emergency dispatcher revealed that the man in the pool had reportedly been “tied up”.
Ormo, a singer and pianist known for his romantic compositions, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Aerial footage captured by local broadcaster WPLG Local 10 showed a long blue cord tangled across the patio of his sprawling home.
Part of the rope appeared to stretch into the swimming pool where the musician’s body was discovered.
But investigators have not confirmed whether the cord was attached to Ormo or played any role in his death.
Broward Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Gerdy St. Louis confirmed that homicide and crime scene detectives were investigating the circumstances.
Authorities have not established whether a crime was committed, while questions remain over how the musician ended up submerged in his own pool.
His body was taken to the Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office, where specialists are working to determine the cause of death.
It remains unclear who made the emergency call, how long Ormo had been in the water or whether anyone else was at the property.
The disturbing discovery has stunned residents of the quiet, gated community, where the composer had lived for several years.
Neighbours described Ormo as a private man who kept a low profile despite his successful music career.
Resident Bruno Gedikinan told NBC 6: “It’s sad what happened, and it wasn’t something I expected to happen in Weston.”
Another neighbour, Mariano Cascata, said: “It’s weird to happen. It’s not normal, of course.”
Ormo’s family have also been left searching for answers.
His sister, Antonieta Ormo, confirmed the musician’s death to CBS News Miami but said relatives had received no further information about what happened.
The tragedy comes just weeks after Ormo promoted his latest album, AGAPE, an instrumental piano collection celebrating love and human connection.
An October press release described the project as a “milestone in his career”.
It also highlighted the musician’s lifelong passion for music, which began during his childhood in Venezuela.
The announcement read: “Gus Ormo has always been a sensitive person. He recalls how, as a child, he would listen to records and feel music stirring his deepest emotions.”
Ormo had built his career around romantic melodies and expressive piano arrangements, hoping to capture feelings that words could not convey.
Speaking about AGAPE, he said: “In a world that makes us experience emotional numbness, the album is an invitation to feel without filters or need for words.
“It’s my way to give back to music all it has given me.”
Earlier this year, the composer appeared at a red-carpet event in Aventura, Florida, where he spoke proudly about his Venezuelan roots and musical career.
He had also written a tribute to his homeland, using music to explore national unity and reconciliation.
Ormo said the composition reflected his deep connection to Venezuela and his belief that music could bring divided communities together.
Investigators have yet to announce any arrests or release further details about the circumstances of his death.