An Orlando pastor’s wife who police say was brutally beaten during a home invasion last week has died, according to her family.

Lucy Pat Curl, 85, was taken off life support on Tuesday and died early Wednesday, the Curl family said in a statement.

She was hospitalized in critical condition on Friday and placed in a medically-induced coma as investigators closed in on the suspect, 55-year-old Ronald Davis, who was arrested early the following day, according to the Orlando Police Department.

Davis — who has been in and out of prison for decades, including charges of burglary, assault and battery — was booked on charges of home invasion robbery with a weapon, aggravated battery on a person over 65 with great bodily harm and aggravated battery with a weapon, records show. News 6 has verified that Davis now additionally faces a charge of first-degree murder in the commission of a home invasion.

Bill Curl, Lucy Pat Curl’s husband, provides pastor care at First Baptist Church of Orlando.

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Senior pastor David Uth spoke to the church’s congregation Sunday. He said the suspect had presented himself as a community service officer, and when Lucy Pat Curl asked for proof, the man forced his way inside and started attacking her.

“He began to hit her. She fell, and the fall did incredible damage along with the wounds that he gave her directly with his fists,” Uth said. “And so he began to ransack the house while she was lying there in a pool of blood.”

Uth said Curl managed to get to a car after the attack and honk the horn in an attempt to call for help.

According to Davis’ arrest affidavit, the police department’s Homicide Unit was notified to take over the investigation because investigators believed Curl would not survive her injuries.

After the attack, the family’s statement recounts a moment between Lucy Pat Curl and her husband in requesting the family’s privacy be respected and that the suspect be forgiven.

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.

Curl Extended Family statement (excerpt)

A service to celebrate Lucy Pat Curl’s life will be held Sunday, Feb. 16, at First Baptist Church of Orlando, according to the statement.

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