MIAMI LAKES, Fla. – A South Florida man has been arrested in connection with the killing of his ex-girlfriend and another man, whose bodies were found Thursday morning inside an apartment in Miami Lakes, authorities said.
Thales Ferreira, 27, faces two counts of first-degree murder.
According to an arrest report, Miami-Dade police were called to the Main Street Shops apartments on New Barn Road and Main Street shortly before 8:30 a.m. regarding a man who was found dead near the front door of his apartment.
He was identified Friday as 26-year-old Michael Tarulli.
According to an arrest report, officers went further into the apartment and discovered the body of Jenny Koonoolai-Jagdeo, 32, of Deerfield Beach.
Both victims had been shot multiple times, authorities said.
According to the arrest report, a neighbor had left his home around 7:30 a.m. Thursday and saw a man seated on the steps, just outside Tarulli's apartment.
The neighbor told police he heard about 10 gunshots in the area about 10 minutes later but didn't call 911.
Around 8:05 a.m., the man left his home again and saw that the victim's front door was open.
He looked inside and found Tarulli lying unresponsive on the floor.
Police said the neighbor then called 911.
Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene.
According to police, authorities were called to the same apartment around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday regarding a suspicious person banging on the front door.
Police said Koonoolai-Jagdeo told officers that her ex-boyfriend, Ferreira, had been stalking her and provided them with his information, which was documented in an incident report.
According to the arrest report, surveillance video shows a small black SUV arriving in the area shortly before the shooting on Thursday.
The gunman is then seen walking toward the victim's apartment and then back to the SUV shortly after 7:30 a.m.
Police said a witness later contacted the Broward Sheriff's Office and told detectives that his gun had been stolen and used in a homicide.
According to the witness, Ferreira went to his home Wednesday night and stole his .40-caliber Smith & Wesson, which the witness had stored in his bedroom.
He said Ferreira returned to his home around 9:30 a.m. Thursday and told him that he had taken his gun and "did something bad."
The witness said he asked Ferreira if he killed someone and Ferreira said, "Yes."
Police said Ferreira was arrested Thursday night while trying to board a flight to Brazil from Miami International Airport.
Authorities said he invoked his right not to speak with detectives.