How a Miami agent suspected of a serial killing spree was stopped

Former Miami real estate agent Willy Suarez Maceo is the prime suspect in a string of gruesome killings in the Miami area late last year. New revelations from Miami law enforcement reveal how officials identified, arrested and charged Maceo with the slayings of two homeless men and the attempted murder of a third.

The former Century 21 agent and cryptocurrency enthusiast was formally charged with first-degree murder for the slayings of Jerome Antonio Price in December and Manuel Perez in October, and attempted murder for the non-fatal shooting of Jorge Jardines, also in December. Maceo has been in police custody since his arrest on Dec. 24. Police have called him a suspected serial killer, according to the Miami Herald.

Police say footage from surveillance cameras captured Maceo throughout several stages of the murders.

He was captured on camera leaving his girlfriend’s house on Dec. 21, walking in the area near to where Jardines was shot, and getting into a black Dodge Charger — the same vehicle that was captured on camera hours later during the shooting of Price through the driver’s side window. The vehicle in the footage has plates registered to Maceo, according to the Florida State Attorney’s Office.

“We literally followed the suspect’s footsteps,” Miami Assistant Police Chief Armando Aguilar said, according to the Herald. 

He was also seen on camera on Oct. 16 parking his car near the area where 59-year-old Manuel Perez was stabbed to death. Surveillance footage shows Maceo parking his distinctive Dodge Charger in the area, walking off and running back to the car a few minutes later.

Detectives were also able to match a Glock and bullets owned by Maceo to the weapon used for the shootings. Maceo, who has a documented history of mental health struggles, previously had the gun confiscated after the police were called over his erratic behavior at this parents’ house. Maceo was briefly hospitalized and officers returned the firearm after the department’s legal bureau could not find legal standing to keep the gun from him, according to the Herald. 

Cops were able to match 9mm shell casings found at the scene to the same model of gun Maceo owns.

Police also used cellphone records to determine that Maceo was near the scenes at the time of the murders. His girlfriend told police he was out of the house at the time of the shootings, with cellphone records showing they spoke on the phone while he was out.

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