Dad was killed on vacation — and wife, sons tampered with evidence, Florida cops say

The family of a vacationing man found dead in a North Florida canal has been jailed on accusations of evidence tampering, according to the Dixie County Sheriff’s Office.

Searchers discovered David Rainey’s submerged body July 25, 2021, near Suwannee, and evidence revealed he had been stabbed to death, officials said.

A suspect has yet to be named in the killing. However, it is suspected his wife, Cindy Rainey, and their sons, Bailey Rainey and Jack Rainey, disturbed the crime scene, the sheriff’s office said in an Oct. 27 case update.

The three were arrested Oct. 25 on charges of tampering with evidence, officials said. Specifics of the accusations have not been released.

“David Rainey was reported missing by his wife, Cindy Rainey, while the couple and their family were vacationing,” the sheriff’s office said.

“Later that evening, investigators with the Dixie County Sheriff’s Office found David Rainey deceased in a canal behind their rented residence. David Rainey had multiple stab wounds to the chest and had been placed in the water after his death.”

Rainey and his wife lived in Palm Coast, about 140 miles east of Suwannee. The couple rented a cabin for the weekend and was staying with “their children, and (a) family friend,” officials said in a 2021 Facebook post.

Cindy Rainey reported her husband had left the cabin Saturday evening “after the couple had gotten into an argument,” and never returned. “David left behind his glasses, wallet, and cell phone,” officials said.

His body was found the next day, and the case was ruled a homicide.

An obituary reports he was 52 and had been married to Cindy Rainey for 21 years.

Suwannee is about 160 miles north of Tampa.

This story was originally published October 30, 2023 at 6:40 AM with the headline "Dad was killed on vacation — and wife, sons tampered with evidence, Florida cops say."