25 Years Later, Miramar Family Still Seeks Justice in Brutal Quadruple Murder

Exactly 25 years after one of South Florida’s most gruesome killings, family members gathered to remember four loved ones murdered inside a Miramar home.

On April 30, 1997, Theresa Laverne, her daughter Marie Altidore, and Marie’s two daughters—6-week-old Sabrina and 2-year-old Samantha—were found dead. Theresa and Marie had been shot, while the children were beaten to death.

Detectives say the killer staged the scene to look like a drug crime, scrawling a message about stolen money on the wall. But investigators believe the motive was far more personal. Despite years of suspicion, no one has ever been charged. Police previously named George Altidor, Marie’s husband and the children’s father, as their main suspect, but he was never arrested.

At a memorial service held at St. Bartholomew Catholic Church, relatives said the pain remains raw. “That was my mother, my sister, and my two nieces,” said Alain Laverne. “When it comes to these kinds of things, time doesn’t matter.”

The family later held a candlelight vigil outside the home, vowing never to give up hope for justice. Police detectives joined them, pledging the case remains open.

“This was one of the most heinous crimes in our city’s history,” said Det. Danny Smith. “Even after 25 years, we are not giving up.”