Prosecutors have accused a Florida couple, Geybert Alexander Garcia, 40, and Melany Perdomo, 24, of burglarizing the South Florida home of Adam Hlavaty and Henry Parra, who were among seven people killed in a helicopter crash in Kenya on August 19. The alleged burglary occurred between August 20 and August 22, shortly after news of the crash broke.
The break-in was reported to authorities by the housekeeper on August 23. Arrest reports state that the homeowners had been "tragically killed in an unforeseen fatal accident while away from the residence." The victims, who were married in 2017, were remembered by loved ones as a couple who cherished traveling and spending time with family and friends. Hlavaty was the co-founder of Market Group, a real estate development and design company, and Parra was an aviation software executive and president of the Bimini Bay Homeowners Association.
The Eurocopter EC130 B4 crashed near Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County, Kenya, while en route from the Loisaba Conservancy to the Ewaso Nyiro area. All six passengers and the pilot died; five of the passengers were U.S. citizens.
Alleged Theft and Discovery
According to police, the Valencia Avenue home in Coral Gables was left in disarray, with valuable artwork, jewelry, electronics, and personal and business documents allegedly stolen. The victims' Range Rover and Porsche Taycan were also reportedly taken. Investigators traced one of the stolen Apple MacBooks to an address in Hialeah, where they also allegedly found the spare key to the Range Rover.
When police executed a search warrant at the Hialeah address, Garcia allegedly attempted to hide in a closet, while Perdomo was found upstairs. Both were taken into custody. During the search, authorities reportedly discovered numerous documents belonging to the deceased men, the Range Rover key fob, and several pieces of artwork.
Court Proceedings and Defense
During Garcia's bond hearing, prosecutors highlighted his prior felony convictions for burglary, money laundering, and dealing in stolen property. A prosecutor also raised the possibility that the victims' deaths were known to those who entered their home, suggesting the home may have been targeted due to media coverage of the accident.
Garcia's attorney presented a notarized document that he claimed came from Garcia's family and purportedly authorized Garcia to enter the victims' home and use their vehicles. The document immediately raised skepticism from Judge Mindy Glazer, who questioned why the victims would grant such access to someone with a criminal history. The judge noted that she would not give much weight to the document and ordered a probable-cause hearing.
Following the hearing, a detective and a friend of Hlavaty and Parra testified, both stating they believed the purported authorization document was fraudulent. The victims' friend also described the damage to the home, including a destroyed front door and ripped-out security camera. Judge Glazer ordered Garcia held without bond, while Perdomo remained in custody on an immigration hold.
