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MEDIA RELEASES

2000

June

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Press Release Titles
6/6 - Missing Person
6/7 - Armed Robbery Surveillance Tape
6/9 - Homicide
6/16 - Arrest Warrant Obtained
6/19 - Homicide Investigation
6/19 - Homicide Press Conference
6/22 - Sexual Battery Arrest

MISSING ADULT

June 6, 2000

Lamy - MissingThe Fort Lauderdale Police Department is investigating a missing adult that was last seen on May 18, 2000. Dumace Lamy, 75 years of age, was last seen in the evening hours of the 18th while working lawn maintenance at a residence in Parkland. The crew working with Lamy realized that they had left him at the residence and returned immediately but were unable to locate him. Lamy has not been seen or heard from since then.

Lamy is described as a black Haitian male, 75 years of age, 5'2", 120 pounds, black and gray hair with a slender build.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Mark Shotwell at 761-5517 or the Fort Lauderdale Police Department at 761-5700.

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ARMED ROBBERY SURVEILLANCE TAPE

June 7, 2000

The Fort Lauderdale Police Department has released a surveillance tape of an armed robbery that occurred on Monday June 5, 2000, at 9:30 p.m. at the Stop and Save Market, 1505 SW 20 Street.

The robbery occurs after the clerk unlocks the door and lets in a black male suspect posing as a customer. Once inside the "customer" makes a purchase and is seen watching the front door of the business A short time later the second suspect enters the store armed with a shotgun and wearing a ski mask. The masked suspect jumps over the counter points the gun at the clerk's head and proceeds to remove the money from the register. The "customer" leaves the store just prior to the masked suspect and the clerk observes both fleeing the scene together.

The two suspects have been involved in as many as seven robberies in the City of Ft Lauderdale and several through out Broward County including one in the City of Oakland Park where one of the suspects has his masked removed by the store clerk. Oakland Park Police have previously released that videotape.

00-72684A 00-72684B 00-72684C 00-72684D
00-72684E 00-72684F

The suspects are described as two black males, 5'6"-5'8", 130-150 pounds and 18-25 years of age. There is no vehicle known at this time.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Art Carbo at 759-6014 or Crime Stoppers at 493-T.I.P.S.

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HOMICIDE

June 9, 2000

The Fort Lauderdale Police Department has arrested a black male juvenile in the murder of another black male.

At approximately 2:20 A.M., Friday, June 09, 2000, officers responded to the 2300 block of NW 8 court. Upon arrival they found the victim, Lorenzo Edwards, lying in the street suffering from a gunshot wound in the back. Edwards was pronounced dead on the scene.

According to witnesses, earlier in the evening Edwards and some friends were down the street at his girlfriend's apartment. The girlfriend was having an argument with her ex-boyfriend and his friends, which included a 16-year-old black male, Chris James. Edwards sided with his girlfriend, which upset the ex-boyfriend and James. The ex-boyfriend and James left. Less than an hour later they returned and the argument continued. Edwards tried to leave and James pulled a handgun from his pocket and without provocation shot Edwards once in the back. James then fired several more shots at Edwards as he tried to flee.

James was later apprehended and charged with first-degree murder.

Detectives John Curcio and Mark Breem are still investigating the murder.

Victim: Lorenzo Edwards, B/M, DOB: 12/13/77
2304 NW 8 Court, Ft. Lauderdale

Arrested: Chris James, B/M, DOB: 12/20/83
140 NW 125 Street, North Miami Beach

School: North Miami Beach High

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ARREST WARRANT OBTAINED

June 16, 2000

Robert CasselsThe Fort Lauderdale Police Department has obtained a warrant for the arrest of Robert Cassels, 08-14-68, for Attempted First Degree Murder in connection with the attack of Minnie Balthaser.

Balthaser was attacked at her residence located at 1700 SW 13 Court in the City of Ft Lauderdale on May 29, 2000 in the early morning hours, after Cassels had forced entry into the home through a back door. Balthaser was transported to Broward General Medical Center with severe head trauma.

Cassels was identified as the culprit through witness statements, and was identified as the same person attempting to use Balthaser's stolen ATM card at a Hollywood bank several hours after the assault.

Cassels is described as a white male, 31 years of age, 6'00", 175 pounds, brown hair and blue eyes. Cassels is thought to be possibly still in the Hollywood area.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective John Curcio at 761-5529 or Crime Stoppers at 493-T.I.P.S.

VICTIM: Minnie Balthaser

SUSPECT: Robert Cassels, 08-14-68

**There is photo of Cassels in the lobby of the police station.

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HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION

June 19, 2000

The Fort Lauderdale Police Department is investigating a homicide that occurred at approximately 11:00 p.m., Sunday, June 18, 2000, at 1014 NW 5 Ave #1.

Marvin Coakley, 01-09-75, was found dead from a single gunshot to the head after Fort Lauderdale Police responded to the apartment in reference to a reported shooting.

There are no suspects or a motive at this time.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Jack King at 761-5544, Detective Al Stone at 761-5512 or Crime Stoppers at 493-T.I.P.S.

VICTIM: Marvin Coakley, 01-09-75

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HOMICIDE PRESS CONFERENCE

June 19, 2000

On Wednesday, June 21, 2000 at 11:00 a.m. the Fort Lauderdale Police Department will be holding a press conference at the front of the station, 1300 West Broward Blvd.

The conference will be held in reference to the Matthew Collins homicide case. Collins' badly burned body was found in a dumpster on April 5, 2000, Collins had been the victim of a homicide.

Collins had been reported missing by his family to the Plantation Police Department on April 4th, and his vehicle was found April 9th parked in a municipal parking lot on Fort Lauderdale beach.

There have been very few leads in the case and Homicide Detectives have very little evidence. They will be present along with Matthew Collins' mother in an attempt to get any new information from the public to help solve this homicide.

Wednesday, June 21st would have been Matthew Collins' 22nd birthday.

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SEXUAL BATTERY ARREST

June 22, 2000

Darion WhiteThe Fort Lauderdale Police Department has arrested Darion White, 03-04-77, and charged him in connection with a sexual battery that occurred at approximately 4:00 a.m. today, June 22nd, in the 1000 block of SW 2 St.

White made forced entry into the residence through a window, and once inside armed himself with a kitchen knife. White then sexually battered and robbed the 35-year-old female before fleeing the scene approximately two hours later.

Fort Lauderdale Police Detectives arrested White at 12:30 p.m. at his residence, 144 SW 11 Ave., after he was developed as a suspect by evidence left at the crime scene and identified by the victim.

White is being charged with Armed Sexual Battery, Armed Burglary, and Armed Robbery.

There is a photo of White in the lobby of the station to be copied, or it can be found on the Fort Lauderdale Police web-site at www.cityfort.com/police

VICTIM: 35 year-old female

ARRESTED: Darion White, 03-04-77

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