Horse farm owner gets life in prison for boyfriend's murder after claiming self-defense

The Florida woman accused of killing her boyfriend and burying him in a shallow grave was found guilty of his murder.

Caylen Deller, 32, was charged with first-degree murder in the September 2024 death of Chad Mullen, her on-again and off-again boyfriend.

According to prosecutors, Deller killed Mullen at her San Mateo, Florida, horse farm, then got a friend and her horse to help move the body, which was found in a shallow grave over a month after he went missing.

Deller was found guilty of first-degree murder on Thursday after the jury deliberated for over an hour and was sentenced to life in prison. She was also found guilty of tampering with evidence and failure to report the death of a person.

Chad Mullen was fatally shot by his on-again, off-again girlfriend, Caylen Deller, in September 2024. Prosecutors said Deller used a horse and enlisted a friend to help move his body before it was buried in a shallow grave. (Putnam County Sheriff's Office)

On Wednesday, Deller testified that she killed Mullen in self-defense because he choked her and raised a hammer at her when she confronted him about unproven claims that he had sexually abused her young daughter. Deller said Mullen became angry, pinned her against a truck and grabbed her by the throat, alleging she was unable to breathe at the time.

That's when Deller said she grabbed a gun. Deller said she obtained the gun after Mullen allegedly broke into her apartment Aug. 1, 2024.

"I pulled the trigger of the gun and shot him twice," Deller said. "I was extremely afraid.

"I shot Chad twice in self-defense."

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Caylen Deller, 32, was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison for fatally shooting her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Chad Mullen, at her Florida horse farm in September 2024. (Putnam County Sheriff's Office)

The woman said she didn't intend to kill Mullen and believed she was defending herself.

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Prosecutors then questioned Deller about why she chose not to contact police and why she kept in touch with Mullen despite having described him as a violent individual, presenting evidence that she placed 28 calls to him between Sept. 2 and Sept. 9, 2024.

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Deller testified that she didn't initially call 911 after shooting Deller because she thought police wouldn't believe her self-defense claim. She didn't tell Mullen's family for that same reason.

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Caylen Deller was sentenced to life in prison after a jury convicted her of first-degree murder in the death of her boyfriend, Chad Mullen. Deller testified that she shot Mullen twice in self-defense, claiming he attacked her during an argument. (WFOX)

"It was probably not a good idea," Deller said. "I was more concerned about getting in trouble."

During closing arguments Thursday, prosecutors said Deller should have called law enforcement.

"She could have called law enforcement to report that Mr. Mullen attacked her or or charged at her or did something to her, but she never did," a prosecutor said.