Police: Florida real estate agent targeted homeless people in Miami, killing 1

Police in South Florida announced Thursday that they have arrested a real estate agent suspected of hunting homeless people.

Willy Suarez Maceo, 25, was initially jailed early Thursday morning on a trespassing charge, and Interim Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales said during a news conference that they were planning to charge him with a count of murder and a count of attempted murder.

Miami police described him as a "serial killer," reports WSVN.

"Homeless individuals for apparent no reason had been brutally targeted," Morales said during a press conference.

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Maceo is suspected in two shootings that occurred Tuesday night about two hours apart, police said. In the first case, a witness flagged down a patrol officer in the 400 block of SW 2nd Avenue, saying there was a person with a gunshot wound to the head. The officer took the victim – who was in "extreme critical condition" to a hospital.

Then, before 10 p.m., police received a 911 call about a Black male who was unresponsive near Miami Avenue and 21st Street. When officers arrived, they said the man was dead and had a gunshot wound. 

"Physical evidence on the scene of both crimes quickly were matched by our ballistics experts, and we were able to identify a vehicle and a person of interest," Morales said, according to WSVN.

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Both victims were homeless. Detectives said video surveillance footage placed Maceo’s car at one of the attacks, and then ballistics testing showed the same gun was used in both attacks.

Investigators were also working to connect Maceo to a shooting from October, officials said.

"This tragic news cuts to the heart of our community," said Ronald L. Book, chair of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust. "No one should be the victim of gun violence let alone our most vulnerable, those experiencing homelessness. We stand ready to work with City of Miami Police Department in any way necessary to help solve this senseless crime."

The Associated Press contributed to this report