A Miami, Florida, real estate agent is believed to have killed numerous homeless men and has thus been labeled a suspected serial killer, according to police.
On Thursday, Miami Police Department’s Interim Police Chief Manuel Morales spoke during a press conference, which was obtained by CBS 4, and identified the man as 25-year-old Willy Suarez Maceo.
Morales explained that the ordeal began when a witness called in a person suffering from blunt force trauma to the head on Tuesday evening. That victim was determined to be injured with a gunshot wound and is currently in “extreme critical condition” at a local hospital.
About two hours later, another victim was then found dead from a gunshot wound not far from the initial attack, Morales said.
The acting police chief explained that authorities were able to connect the two incidents due to the short time span between them and because both victims were homeless.
As police searched for evidence to arrest the perpetrator, they were able to obtain surveillance video that captured a black car approaching one of the victims, who was lying on the ground before being shot “several times,” Morales said.
Police were then able to identify the vehicle type and its tag number from the surveillance video, which helped them track down the suspect.
After tactical robbery units made contact with the vehicle and the suspect, Morales said Suarez Maceo was in possession of a firearm that matched the caliber of one used in both murders.
Police then brought the suspect to the station for further investigation, where one lead investigator noticed the suspect’s resemblance to another who was wanted for murder for a similar crime back in October. There, a homeless victim was “horrifically murdered” in Miami, Morales explained.
During the press conference, Morales noted that Suarez Maceo will be charged with attempted murder as well as murder for the two crimes he is alleged to have committed.
He also asked for the public’s help in connecting the December crimes with the one from October. Investigators are asking anyone with information to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.
On Friday, Suarez Maceo was denied bond, Local 10 reported. Suarez Maceo’s public defender, Kendal Rinko, noted that although authorities were able to find a gun and car linked to the crime, it does not mean that his client is behind the incident. “Mr. Maceo is never seen carrying out the shooting,” said Rinko.
The motive behind the shootings currently remains under investigation.