Two individuals were arrested this Wednesday, accused of looting the home of Henry Parra and Adam Hlavaty, the couple from Coral Gables who died on August 19 in a helicopter accident in Kenya that resulted in seven fatalities.
The suspects, Geybert Alexander García, 40 years old, and Melany Perdomo, 24, allegedly took advantage of the tragedy to enter the residence less than 24 hours after the deaths were made public, according to the Coral Gables Police cited by CBS News.
The theft occurred between August 20 and 22 at the residence on Valencia Avenue and was discovered by the couple's domestic employee, who alerted the authorities.
The investigators claim that the suspects tampered with the security system and caused significant damage to the front door and the lock.
From the interior, artworks, jewelry, electronic devices, and personal and commercial documents disappeared. Among the stolen items was a sculpture valued at over $500,000.
The thieves also stole the two luxury vehicles belonging to the victims: a 2023 Range Rover and a 2020 Porsche Taycan.
A stolen MacBook led to the suspects
One of the keys to solving the case was precisely one of the stolen items. The tracking signal from a MacBook led investigators to a residence in Miami-Dade County where the suspects were located.
During the operation, García reportedly attempted to hide inside a bathroom cabinet on the second floor, while Perdomo was found in a room on the upper level.
The investigation also included footage from the security camera of a neighbor's house in Coral Gables, which reportedly captured the suspects leaving the scene.
Both appeared before Judge Mindy Glazer, who determined that there was probable cause for the charges. They face accusations of burglary, vehicle theft, and grand theft.
A tragedy followed by a looting
Parra, 55, was a co-founder of Trax USA, a software company for aviation maintenance, and a veteran of the U.S. Navy. Hlavaty, 42, was a co-founder of MRKT Group and had held executive positions at companies such as Pollo Tropical and Benihana.
The couple, married since 2017, died along with five other people when the helicopter they were traveling in crashed during a safari in Kenya.
Among the victims were journalist José Alberto Suárez, president of Telemundo stations in Florida, and gastronomic entrepreneur Roger Duarte, son-in-law of the founder of the Versailles restaurant, one of the most emblematic establishments of the Cuban exile in Miami.
The cause of the accident is still under investigation by the Kenyan aviation authorities.
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