According to the Associated Press, police in Broward County, Florida, used DNA analysis to solve the murder of 3 women at the age of 20 and found that the perpetrator was a Brazilian man who was killed in a South American air crash in 2005.
Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony said on Tuesday that the DNA found the murderer Roberto Fernandez. The Brazilian citizen fled to his country of origin after the body of the third victim was found in Miami in 2001.
Fernandez was suspected by the police at the time, but their efforts were blocked due to the lack of an extradition treaty between Brazil and the United States.
At the press conference, Tony said that although the cold murder may pass for some time, “justice never expires.” He added that Fernandez is suspected of being a serial killer and there may be other victims.
“Cold cases usually last for months, even years, before they can be resolved,” Tony said.
For more reports from the Associated Press, please see below.
Broward County Sheriff’s Office/Associated Press
On June 22, 2000, the first victim found in Cooper, Florida was Kimberly Dietz-Livesey. His body was severely beaten and was stuffed into the roadside In the suitcase. On August 9, 2000, on another road near Dania Beach, Florida, it was found that Sia Demas’ body was also beaten to death.
A year later, on August 30, 2001, the body of Jessica Good floated in Biscayne Bay in Miami. She was stabbed to death.
Investigators said that all three women had drug abuse problems and turned to prostitution to maintain their habits.
A fingerprint and some DNA samples were found at the crime scene in 2001, but initially no match was found in the crime database. Officials said it was not until the authorities provided evidence through the Brazilian authorities that Fernandez had a game.
“This is a key piece of evidence,” Broward’s detective Zach Scott said at a news conference.
In Brazil, Fernandez was found not guilty for killing his wife in self-defense. Scott said that his wife’s family was deeply saddened by the case, and may have tried to kill Fernandez in retaliation, which led to his decision to flee to Paraguay.
In 2005, Fernandez was killed in a plane crash and his body was transported back to Brazil for burial. Recently, a judge there was persuaded to order the exhumation of the body, and investigators in Florida obtained DNA samples after determining that he had not forged the death.
“It does take some time to confirm his death,” said the Miami Police Sergeant. Nicoli Trifonov said. “People did fake their deaths.”
There may be more victims. Officials said that in the United States, Fernandez worked for a travel company in Miami and sometimes served as a flight attendant.
“I believe there are other cases. There are no restrictions on where he can travel,” Scott said.
