Bertram Clark kills girlfriend as her children watch

From CBS Miami:

Miami police are hunting a man on the lam after he allegedly shot his wife in front of her children, and left her to die in a pool of blood.

Police are trying to find 42-year-old Bertram Clark, last seen running out of the apartment of 25-year-old Shanquendra Quenishea Williams in the 1200 block of NW First place in Miami, shortly after midnight Monday morning.

Miami police spokesperson Det. Willie Moreno said Clark and Williams had argued before he left her apartment. Williams apparently called police and Clark, who lives nearby, returned to her apartment, angry about the call.

Investigators say Clark apparently pulled out his gun and pistol-whipped Williams while her children watched. As his anger grew, police said he used the pistol to shoot her, multiple times, with the children in the room, before running out.

Cops shoot and kill 16 year-old Danny Cruz at Homestead gas station

From the Miami Herald:

A Homestead police officer shot and killed a 16-year-old inside a gas station convenience store late Thursday after a clerk pushed an alarm panic button during a run-in with the teen.

Miami-Dade police homicide detectives, who are investigating the shooting, on Friday night identified the teen as Danny Cruz.

Investigators found a .380 handgun in Cruz’s right jacket pocket. According to a police spokesman, the officer repeatedly ordered Cruz to show his hands before firing.

The shooting took place inside a Chevron gas station, 801 N. Roosevelt Blvd. at 10:40 p.m.

Cruz’s family defended the teen Friday, insisting he was not armed or involved in gang activity.

“I’m sure whatever he was doing, he didn’t deserve what was done to him,” mother Sarah Garcia told WFOR-CBS4. “I don’t believe he was out to hurt anyone. I believe he was just there. I don’t believe he pulled out a gun.”

The officer, Elvis Ackerman, 31, has been placed on administrative duty, which is routine in police shootings. Union president John Rivera called the shooting “textbook” and said the officer was in fear for his life when he fired his weapon.

Lineten Belizaire arrested in connection with murders of two women and baby

From the South Florida Sun-Sentinel:

Belizaire

A 20-year-old Miami-Dade man was arrested Sunday in connection with this month's slayings of two women and a baby in Lauderdale Lakes, authorities said.

Lineten Belizaire, 20, was arrested on a out-of-county warrant at about 2:30 a.m. Sunday outside of a home near Miami Central High School in Miami-Dade.

On Monday afternoon, Belizaire was listed as being detained with no bond at Miami-Dade's Pre-Trial Detention Center, records show.

The Broward Sheriff's Office is planning a 3:30 p.m. announcement about the arrest.

The victims of the January 15th slayings were 6-month-old Carlton Stringer Jr., his mother, Natasha Plummer, 25; and their roommate, Octavia Barnett, 21.

Motorcyclist killed after colliding with Miami Fire rescue truck

From WSVN:

A motorcyclist has died after colliding with a rescue truck that was responding to a call.

The incident occurred at about 6 a.m. near 46th Street and Northwest 12th Avenue. According to police, the rescue truck was transporting a patient to a local hospital, when the motorcyclist ran a red light and crashed into the side of the truck.

One driver witnessed the accident. "When the motorcycle hit the the fire truck, it caught on fire and exploded, and the body flew over the car," he said.

Miami Fire Rescue crews called another rescue crew truck to transport the original patient to the hospital, while responders treated the motorcyclist. "The rescue immediately made a U-turn around, got out of the truck, and went to assess this motorcyclist, who was definitely unresponsive, not breathing, no pulse," said Miami Fire Rescue Lieutenant Ignatius Carroll.

Father charged with killing 7 week-old baby

Mario Perez

from the Miami Herald:

Mario Perez, 36, was charged with second-degree murder and aggravated child abuse for the killing of John Brian Perez.

The baby was hospitalized Jan. 10 after Perez, who is unemployed, called 911 to report his son was not breathing. Perez told police he had been alone with his son and tossed the baby on the bed at their home, 11040 Peach Tree Dr., just east of Biscayne Park.

Hospital staff members, alarmed at the baby's bruising and bleeding in the brain, called police. The baby stayed on life support at Jackson Memorial Hospital until Saturday, when he died. An autopsy revealed broken ribs and severe brain trauma, according to a Miami-Dade police arrest report.

Miami-Dade Deputy Medical Examiner Dr. Emma Lew recorded the cause of death as ``blunt force trauma.''

Read the full story here.

Two Miami-Dade police officers shot and killed serving a warrant in Miami

Shooting scene at NW 7th Ave. and 69th Street

Two Miami-Dade officers have been shot while serving a warrant on a murder suspect at NW 7th Avenue and 69th Street in Miami Thursday morning.

One officer died on the scene. The other officer - a female - was shot and critically injured. She was transported to JMH and died in surgery according to the Miami Herald.

The officers are attached to MDPD's warrants unit. A least one suspect was also shot and is dead on the scene.

Miami-Dade mayor Carlos Alvarez at scene

A visibly shaken Nancy Perez, a lieutenant in charge of the Miami-Dade police media relations unit, speaking before live TV cameraa confirmed that one of the dead was a Miami-Dade police officer.

Television pictures showed two bodies covered by tarpaulins outside a house.

Police officer (facing camera) embraces a woman at JMH

Shortly after noon officers could be seen scaling the roof of the house and attaching tarps to the roof and a fence to shield the body of the dead officer from the view of TV helicopters.

Miami police chief Miguel Exposito, Miami-Dade police director James Loftus, Miami mayor Tomas Regaldo and Miami-Dade mayor Carlos Alvarez have responded to the scene. Deputy US marshal Barry Golden is also on the scene.

from the Miami Herald:

The dead male officer was identified as Roger Castillo. The female officer was identified as Amanda Haworth.

Johnny Sims

One suspect, identified as Johnny Sims, 23, was killed in the gun battle. Another suspect is in custody, said Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez.

Investigators say they're not looking for any other suspects.

``We're asking for the community's prayers,'' said Commander Nancy Perez, who broke down when she announced the news shortly before 12:30 p.m. Thursday.

The county detectives were attempting to arrest Sims on a murder warrant for a slaying that happened in October in Miami, according to multiple law enforcement sources.

Sims, according to state corrections records, was released from prison in September on probation. He had been imprisoned for armed robbery and selling cocaine.

Details were sketchy, but this much was known: The shooting erupted between a suspect and police at a home near Northwest Seventh Avenue and 69th Street.

Castillo died at the scene. The female officer died in surgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital.

At least 35 South Florida law enforcement officials have been killed in the line of duty over the last 30 years according to this list compiled by the Herald.

One of the bloodiest days in Miami-Dade police department history occurred on April 2, 1976 when a man managed to shoot three detectives to death at a motel om Miami Beach. Neither of the three had a chance to pull their guns.

Retired detective still haunted by girl's murder more than half a century later

from Adam Beasley, Miami Herald staff writer

It has been 57 years since Judith Ann Roberts disappeared from her grandparents' home in The Roads, and surfaced dead in Coconut Grove a day later.

Irving Whitman was assigned the case, one that remains cold all these years later.

``It still gets to me, still haunts me,'' said Whitman, nearly 90. ``To this day, the case remains open, technically, but I am quite convinced I know who committed the crime.''

The person in question died before Whitman could close the case. Meanwhile, Roberts' slaying became international news -- and the lone blemish on Whitman's otherwise-sterling six-year stint in the Miami Police Homicide Unit.

Click here to read full story.