Florida Man and Woman Wanted in Alleged Two-State Killing Spree: A 'Running Nightmare'

Police have intensified their hunt for and William Boyette and Mary Rice in connection with the deaths of three women and non-fatal shooting of another

A manhunt is underway for a man and woman from Florida suspected of killing three women last week and injuring a mother in a home invasion on Monday, PEOPLE confirms.

William Boyette, 44, and 38-year-old Mary Rice are wanted in connection with multiple homicides across two states, an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman tells PEOPLE. They are believed to be “armed and dangerous.”

“What we are experiencing is a running nightmare, quite honestly,” ECSO Chief Deputy Chip Simmons said during a Monday press conference.

Escambia County Sheriff's Office

Deputies responded to a report of a home invasion on Monday and found 28-year-old Kayla Crocker suffering a gunshot wound in her home just outside of Pensacola, Florida, the spokeswoman says.

Crocker’s 2-year-old son was inside the home at the time of the incident but was not harmed, the spokeswoman says. Details about her condition have not been made public.

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The alleged killing spree began on Jan. 31 in Milton with the homicides of Alicia Greer, 30, and Jacqueline Moore, 39, the spokeswoman confirms. Greer was reportedly in a relationship with Boyette, USA Today reports.

On Feb. 3, 52-year-old Peggy Broz was fatally shot in her Lilian, Alabama, driveway.

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Simmons vowed to increase police efforts, warning the public to stay alert.

“In short, we have a killer. He is in our midst. He has been in our midst. Everyone, I mean everyone, should be aware of this,” Simmons said during the press conference. “Be aware of what they look like, how they’ve been traveling. And take the appropriate measures.”

Rice and Boyette are believed to be traveling in a white 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt, police announced in a Facebook post.