MIAMI – A man is facing serious charges in connection with a violent armed robbery and kidnapping that occurred in Miami back in March, authorities confirmed Wednesday.
Miami police said Charles Wilson, 34, was arrested Wednesday after an extensive investigation involving surveillance footage, fingerprints and witness identification.
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The incident occurred on March 26 when the victim, who police identified as a 28-year-old woman, was at a friend’s apartment with several others.
Shortly after midnight, police said Wilson, who had been present in the apartment earlier in the evening, entered the room and the woman up by telling her, “Come to the living room; I’m going to show you something.”
As the victim stood up and walked to the living room, authorities said Wilson pushed her to the floor and put her in a headlock.
The report stated that Wilson instructed Jamil Raphael Perkins, 32, to retrieve the woman’s purse and take any cash inside. Perkins then returned from the bedroom with $10,000 in cash, according to investigators.
When the victim began to scream, police said Wilson struck her in the face with a gun, causing a severe laceration to her lip and damage to her teeth.
Police said the suspects then debated whether they should shoot the victim.
Authorities said the pair ultimately decided to take the victim’s cellphone and forced her to crawl to the apartment’s balcony. Once she was outside, they locked the balcony door, trapping her while they fled the scene, according to investigators.
Authorities said the suspects left the apartment in a silver Lexus SUV with the victim’s money and phone.
Approximately an hour later, the victim’s friend returned to the apartment and found her on the balcony, according to the report. The friend provided police with the suspect’s name, aiding in the investigation, police said.
Police obtained video footage from the apartment building’s surveillance system, which they said captured Wilson and Perkins exiting the building and leaving in a silver Lexus SUV. Investigators said they were able to clearly identify Perkins in the video, linking him to a traffic incident from September 2023 involving the same vehicle.
On March 27, detectives said they located the registered owner of the silver Lexus SUV, who confirmed that Perkins, her boyfriend, had been driving the vehicle at the time of the robbery. The surveillance video showed Perkins earlier in the day wearing the same clothes he was seen in when leaving the building after the robbery, according to police.
While serving the eviction notice, Miami police said they entered Wilson’s apartment and discovered a gun inside. Detectives said they later processed the silver Lexus SUV for fingerprints, confirming that both Wilson and Perkins had handled the vehicle during the crime. Additional fingerprints belonging to Perkins were also found on items inside the vehicle, the report stated.
A search warrant was also executed at Perkins’ residence, where detectives said they discovered clothing that matched what he had worn during the robbery, two guns, and multiple boxes of ammunition.
Throughout the investigation, police said the victim participated in multiple photo lineups. During one lineup, detectives said she identified Perkins as the person who had taken her money. In a subsequent lineup, she positively identified Wilson as the individual who had assaulted her and given orders during the robbery, according to the report.
Jail records show Estrada is facing charges of armed robbery, kidnapping and aggravated battery and is being held without bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, as of Wednesday.
Local 10 News has requested Perkins’ arrest report. He did not appear as an inmate on the Miami-Dade jail website as of Wednesday afternoon.