A former Miami real estate agent accused of targeting homeless men in a series of deadly attacks may face the death penalty, prosecutors announced.
Willy Maceo, 28, has been indicted by a grand jury on two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. Prosecutors allege he carried out random attacks on homeless individuals in Miami, shooting and stabbing them in 2021.
Surveillance footage released in 2022 appeared to show Maceo at the scenes of three separate attacks. Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle called the crimes particularly disturbing due to the vulnerability of the victims.
“These are some of the most vulnerable individuals in our community,” she said at the time. “Having an unknown killer striking at random is a chilling threat.”
Despite the severity of the charges, Maceo was declared mentally incompetent to stand trial in 2024 following psychological evaluations. Judge Lody Jean acknowledged uncertainty around when or if Maceo would be fit for trial, urging him to follow medical guidance.
The case remains under close watch as prosecutors weigh capital punishment for the accused.
