Suspected serial killer of homeless denied bond

Public defender argues suspect is ‘never seen carrying out the shooting’

MIAMI – Willy Suarez Maceo, who police said is a suspected serial killer, faced a judge on Friday.

The licensed South Florida real estate agent, 25, was denied bond on a charge of attempted premeditated murder.

The interim Miami police chief, Manuel Morales, said detectives have ballistics and video evidence that show Maceo is responsible for two late-night shootings that happened hours apart on Tuesday. One was fatal.

Maceo is possibly connected to a fatal stabbing from October, police said.

According to an arrest report released Friday, the recent shootings were unprovoked, and “both victims were sleeping on sidewalks” when they happened.

But Maceo’s public defender, Kendal Rinko, argued that just because detectives have a gun and vehicle connected to the crime, doesn’t mean Maceo is the person responsible for them.

“Mr. Maceo is never seen carrying out the shooting,” Rinko said.

Circuit Court Judge Alberto Milian found enough evidence to deny Maceo bond.

“If he’s guilty of these crimes and they can prove beyond a reasonable doubt, he has a very very peculiar pattern of finding unprotected individuals in the streets that are not even awake, and going up to them,” Milian said. “It appears to be an execution-style for reasons that are unknown.”

Morales said it is likely Maceo has targeted other homeless people in Miami.

Investigators are asking anyone with information to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.


About the Author
Janine Stanwood headshot

Janine Stanwood joined Local 10 News in February 2004 as an assignment editor. She is now a general assignment reporter. Before moving to South Florida from her Washington home, Janine was the senior legislative correspondent for a United States senator on Capitol Hill.

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