MIRAMAR, Fla. — Local 10 News on Saturday spoke with the sister of a 20-year-old man gunned down in a drive-by shooting nearly a year and a half ago, sharing her grief and hope for justice.
Berlinda Ductan said her younger brother, Ernst Valcourt, came from a family of faith, had four siblings, and had just celebrated his 20th birthday. She believes he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and wants those responsible caught.
“To hear that he got killed and it was in a matter that it happened. I was in disbelief,” Ductan said. “I’m still waiting for him to walk in the door.”
Valcourt was shot at a home off Southwest 66th Way near 33rd Street in March 2024. Ductan said her brother had stopped to pick up a friend of a friend to continue celebrating his birthday from the day prior.
“He got picked up from here and they were supposed to go straight to the Airbnb but instead of going straight to that Airbnb ... I guess the driver’s friend called and said ‘Hey, I want to go too,’ and they went straight to that house,” she said.
Neighbors captured the sounds of gunfire on a Ring camera across the street.
Video from Sky 10 showed dozens of evidence markers near shell casings surrounding a Bentley parked in the driveway.
Valcourt lost his life in the shooting, but federal agents have been relentless in their search for his killers.
The FBI is offering a reward for information leading to the capture of Jameel Blemur and Zachary Sloan Thelusma, both facing charges of first-degree murder.
“If anyone knows something, knows any little piece of information that can give us some justice, please call the FBI call the tip line because we need them caught,” Ductan said.
The FBI is offering a $10,000 reward for information that would lead to the arrest of each suspect. Anyone with information is urged to contact the bureau immediately.
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