FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Emotional family members are speaking out after their loved one was found dead outside an apartment complex in Fort Lauderdale. It comes Tuesday as police provided an update on the suspect arrested in the case.
Daneshia Heller, 30, was murdered last Wednesday, officials with the Fort Lauderdale Police Department said.
“It’s devastating,” Heller’s mother, Temekia Connor, said.
Authorities said her naked body was found near a dumpster in the 1500 block of Northwest Second Street. Police say she was shot.
“She didn’t deserve that,” Heller’s aunt, Latoya Snell, said.
Authorities identified the suspect as Altavious Powell, 34, of Miami Gardens.
“(To) shoot her in the head, like, what could she have done or said to you that you think that you want to kill and shoot my baby, execution style, like that?” Connor said.
According to his arrest warrant, Powell told his child’s mother that he killed two women, but police said that, despite rumors on social media suggesting Powell might be a serial killer, detectives confirmed he is only linked to one homicide as of now.
“We do not have a serial killer that we’re looking at in the city of Fort Lauderdale,” FLPD Sgt. Don Geiger said. “I think the family’s still trying to heal and then when they see ― we’ve had them reach out to us for things that they’ve seen on social media, thinking, now that they have other family members that live in the area, is there a concern for them?
“Even though we vetted that the suspect is in custody, it hasn’t stopped the trail of social media from continuing to grow.”
Heller leaves behind three young daughters.
“Baby, we love you, and even though you’re not here with us in body, you are always going to be with us in spirit,” Snell said through tears.
Family members have set up a GoFundMe page to help with expenses.
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