Miami woman's death could be linked to 3 found fatally shot in Collier County

Bodies found on US Highway 41 near Miami-Dade County line

MIAMI ā€“ A woman has been found dead inside a Miami apartment, and her death could be linked to three people who were found shot to death in a car along U.S. Highway 41 in Collier County near the Miami-Dade County line.

Miami police Lt. Freddie Burden said officers were asked to conduct a welfare check at an apartment complex on NorthwestĀ 51st Avenue, where they found a woman dead inside apartment 38.

"They discovered the body of a young lady in her 40s," Burden said. "At the current moment, we are investigating it as a homicide."

The woman's death could be connected to a murder-suicide investigation in Collier County, where three bodies were found inside a car.

A witness who spotted the car Thursday saw a woman inside and thought she was asleep. That witness called 911 after noticing blood in the car.

"She was slumped over to the passenger side and had blood on her face. I could tell her eyes were open," Jim Brunson said.

According to a Collier County Sheriff's Office report, a girl, a woman and a man were found dead with gunshot wounds. The man was found with a pistol in his hand, authorities said.

Burden said Collier County sheriff's investigators asked police to conduct the welfare check in Miami.

Crime scene investigators could be seen dusting for fingerprints and taking photographs of apartment 38.

Police are asking for the public's help with information about what led to the woman's death.

"If they know of anything, if they heard something maybe yesterday, maybe some sort of an argument at this apartment or anything of that manner, or maybe they know this couple, maybe they can come forward and give us some information," Burden said.

Anyone with information is asked to call police or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.


About the Authors:

Andrew Perez is a South Florida native who joined the Local 10 News team in May 2014.

Peter Burke returned for a second stint of duty at Local 10 News in February 2014.