A Haitian man, Rolbert Joachim, 40, has been arrested after allegedly bludgeoning a woman to death with a hammer outside a gas station in Fort Myers, Florida, on Friday. The murder occurred in broad daylight, shocking the local community.
Details of the Crime
Surveillance footage from the scene showed Joachim attacking the woman, smashing her car’s windshield, and then repeatedly hitting her in the head with a hammer. The victim, who was reportedly a store clerk at the gas station, was killed in the brutal assault. She was also the mother of two teenage daughters. The identity of the woman has not yet been publicly released.
Joachim faces charges of second-degree murder and criminal damage to property, according to Lee County Sheriff’s Office jail records.
Joachim’s Immigration History
Joachim entered the United States illegally in August 2022 and was released under the Biden administration’s immigration policies. Despite a federal judge issuing a final order of removal later that year, Joachim was granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which is set to expire in 2024.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) strongly criticized the release of Joachim into the U.S., with acting assistant secretary Lauren Bis calling the murder “heinous” and pointing out that the administration’s immigration policies led to the tragedy.
“This illegal alien barbarically hit this woman in the head multiple times with a hammer,” Bis said in a statement. “Not only did the Biden administration release him into the country, but they then gave him temporary protected status. Their reckless immigration policies cost this woman her life.”
Arrest and Deportation
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) assisted the Fort Myers Police Department in tracking down and arresting Joachim, who was located on Mango Street in Fort Myers. ICE has lodged a detainer against Joachim, and regardless of the outcome of his criminal case, he will be deported.
“This arrest is an example of how ICE and local authorities can work together to swiftly bring criminals to justice and make our communities safer,” Bis said.
