Miami real estate agent arrested for targeted attacks against the homeless

MIAMI, Fla. (KLKN) – According to authorities in Miami, a Miami real estate agent, Willy Suarez Maceo, age 25, was arrested on December 23rd on one count of murder and one count of attempted murder following incidents two hours apart on December 21st.

Authorities are referring to him as a “suspected serial killer,”

On December 21st at approximately 8:00 pm, a witness got the attention of a police officer reporting a victim who was bleeding from their head following an unprovoked attack.  According to Miami Police Department in a press briefing on December 23rd, the victim is in extremely critical condition and is being treated at a local area hospital.

Approximately two hours later a homeless man, Jerome Antonio Price, age 56, was found deceased from a gunshot wound.  According to surveillance video at the scene, Maceo is believed to have pulled up in a black Dodge Charger, shooting the victim from his car as Price slept on the sidewalk in Wynwood.

Bullets found on each scene were quickly matched by ballistics experts, after the crimes were previously suspected to be linked due to timing and victim demographic.

After the vehicle was identified, police made contact with the suspect, Willy Suarez Maceo, who had a gun matching the caliber used in both homicides.  According to the arrest report, ballistics tests linked the 9 mm Glock to the bullets found at both scenes, casings were found on Maceo.

Investigators noticed the resemblance to a previous homicide where “another homeless individual was horrifically murdered,” said Miami Interim Police Chief Manuel Morales.  The homicide took place on October 16th in the vicinity of the other attacks, the victim was identified as Manuel Perez, age 59.

According to surveillance images, a suspect with similar features to Maceo’s and a black Dodge Charger were at the scene of the crime.

During a court appearance on Christmas Eve, Assistant Public Defender Kendal Rinko argued that there wasn’t probable cause to keep Maceo jailed.   Rinko argued that Maceo owning the gun and car doesn’t mean he was the one who carried out the crime.

Circuit Judge Alberto Milian found there was enough evidence for the charge of premeditated attempted murder.  He ordered Maceo to remain behind bars without bail, citing the “peculiar pattern” of targeting homeless people in what “appears to be execution-style” attacks.

Records show Maceo is a licensed real estate broker for Century 21, the company lists him as working in Miami, Kendall, South Miami, and Palmetto Bay.

Miami Police Department is currently continuing its investigation and is actively searching for any crimes where homeless individuals have been brutally targeted for no reason, they ask local Police Departments and the public to provide any information they can.