Two Florida residents are accused of breaking into and stealing from the home of a couple who had recently died in a helicopter crash in Kenya. Geybert Alexander Garcia, 40, and Melany Perdomo, 24, face charges including burglary, grand theft of a vehicle, and grand theft.
Prosecutors allege that Garcia and Perdomo targeted the Coral Gables home of Adam Hlavaty and Henry Parra shortly after news broke of their deaths in a helicopter crash on August 19. The Eurocopter EC130 B4 crashed near Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County, Kenya, killing all seven people on board, including five U.S. citizens.
The alleged burglary occurred between August 20 and August 22, according to arrest reports. The incident was reported to authorities by the housekeeper on August 23. While arrest reports do not name the victims, they reference the date of the crash and state the homeowners had been killed in a fatal accident while away from the residence.
Loved ones remembered Hlavaty and Parra as a couple who enjoyed traveling and life. Hlavaty was the co-founder of a real estate development company, and Parra was an aviation software executive and served as president of the Bimini Bay Homeowners Association. The couple married in 2017.
Police found the Valencia Avenue home in disarray, with reports indicating that valuable artwork, jewelry, electronics, and personal and business documents were stolen. The victims' Range Rover and Porsche Taycan were also allegedly taken.
Investigators traced one of the stolen Apple MacBooks to an address in Hialeah, where they located Garcia and Perdomo. Garcia reportedly attempted to hide in a closet, while Perdomo was found upstairs. Both were taken into custody.
During a search of the Hialeah address, authorities said they found documents belonging to the deceased men, the Range Rover key fob, and several pieces of artwork. During Garcia's bond hearing on Wednesday, prosecutors highlighted his prior felony convictions for burglary, money laundering, and dealing in stolen property.
Garcia's attorney presented a notarized document purportedly from Garcia's family, which he claimed authorized Garcia to enter the victims' home and use their vehicles. The judge expressed skepticism, questioning why the victims would grant such access to someone with a criminal history before leaving for their trip. The judge scheduled a probable-cause hearing and later ordered Garcia held without bond. Perdomo remains in custody on an immigration hold.