A locally well-known Florida GOP donor and ally of Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) was discovered dead in his car Thursday evening.
Businessman Kent Stermon had been under “active investigation” by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office several weeks before his death, according to authorities. He was 50 years old at the time, and police say they do not believe foul play led to his death.
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“The Governor and First Lady were shocked and saddened to hear of Kent’s passing, and their prayers (and our entire office’s prayers) are with his family during this difficult time,” a DeSantis spokesperson said.
Authorities did not publicly disclose details of the investigation that preceded his death, but the Florida Times-Union reported law enforcement was probing accusations of sexual misconduct. They noted that the investigation is “ongoing”
Stermon served as the president of Total Military Management, a defense contracting company in the Jacksonville area, and had made at least $140,000 worth of political donations, including $50,000 to a group that favors DeSantis, according to financial disclosures.
During his time in Congress, DeSantis rented a condo that was partly owned by Stermon, and the then-soon-to-be governor gave him a role on his transition team following his gubernatorial victory in 2018, Politico reported. He later tapped Stermon to serve on the board of governors for Florida’s state university system.
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In the run-up to his death, Stermon was grappling with health problems and had suffered a stroke earlier in the week, per Florida Politics. He was named Citizen of the Year by the sheriff’s office in 2015.
