Background: News footage of police outside Diane German”s home on Dec. 28, 2025 (WCJB). Inset (left): Michael Rowland (Ocala Police Department). Inset (right): Diane German (Facebook).
A Florida man was arrested months after he called 911 to report that he found his girlfriend unresponsive in her pool.
Michael Rowland, 50, was arrested by the Ocala Police Department on Monday in connection with the death of his girlfriend, 72-year-old Diane German. According to police, Rowland called 911 on the morning of Dec. 28, 2025, after he found German floating in her pool at her home in Ocala. She was declared deceased at the scene.
As the investigation into the popular restaurant owner’s death advanced, police said they noticed inconsistencies with Rowland’s story.
According to an arrest report obtained by local ABC affiliate WCJB, Rowland claimed he found German floating in the pool and jumped in to get her out. Police said they found water throughout German’s home, which was consistent with his original story.
However, police also found an empty, wet phone case in the home’s garage. German’s phone was allegedly inside Rowland’s van. But Rowland told police that her phone had also been submerged. When they found the phone, they said it had no signs of water damage.
A closer look at German’s phone revealed that all activity stopped around 9:30 p.m. the previous night, police said. The arrest report notes that Rowland was seen on surveillance cameras arriving at her house around the same time. After 9:30 p.m., German reportedly stopped responding to messages.
When investigators searched Rowland’s phone, they said they found an internet search for how to reset a video surveillance system.
The medical examiner found evidence that German had been strangled before she ended up in the water. Her death was ruled a homicide.
According to reporting by Ocala-based news outlet Ocala StarBanner, German owned the popular Wolfy’s Restaurant after a long career in the restaurant and catering businesses. She lost her husband in 2020 and leaves behind two adult children and a grandchild.
Friends and family told police that she and Rowland had been arguing and were breaking up, according to the arrest report. Police said Rowland denied that it was true.
Rowland was arrested in Jacksonville, Florida, on Monday and charged with second-degree murder and tampering with evidence. He will be extradited to Marion County to face charges. Court records did not list his next court date.
