Canadian Consul General Releases Statement Regarding Family Tragedy
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Canada's Consul General in Miami, Roxanne Dube, is speaking out for the first time since news broke that one of her teen sons was murdered, and the other was charged with felony murder.
Late Thursday afternoon, Dube released a statement reading; "We would like to express our most profound thanks for the outpouring of support we have received in the last few days. Although we have not been able to respond to all of your messages, we want you to know that they touched us deeply. We also want to express our most sincere condolences to the family of Joshua Wright who have also lost their son and to all of those who have been so tragically affected in this unimaginable circumstance. Your grief is our grief. We can only hope that, in time, we will find common purpose towards diminishing the causes of such violent crimes. For now, we just want to be there for Marc, our incredibly caring son who loved his brother very much, and to say goodbye, ever so tenderly and quietly to Jean, our love. It is requested that our privacy be respected in this difficult time."
CLICK HERE To Watch Natalia Zea's Report
Dube reportedly asked if her 15-year old son could go to Canada and be prosecuted after he was arrested in connection to a drug deal gone bad that ended in gunfire, murder and made headlines all the way to Canada.
The request was denied.
On Wednesday, a Miami judge granted bond to a suspected drug dealer who reportedly was involved in the drug deal.
Judge Mindy Glazer set 19-year Anthony Rodriguez's bond at $150,000 and said funds used to post bail must come from legal sources. The judge also ordered that Rodriguez remain on house arrest pending trial.
Miami Police announced late Wednesday that Rodriguez will be charged with two counts of felony murder and one count of possession of cannabis with intent to sell.
Rodriguez reportedly admitted bringing two pounds of marijuana to the Coral Way home of a second suspected drug dealer, Joshua Wright, to sell them to the sons of the Canadian consul general in Miami; 15-year old Marc Wabafiyebazu and his 17-year old brother Jean, who was a student at Gulliver Preparatory.
Sources told CBS4 News that Jean might have intended to rip off the drug dealers.
During the deal, gunfire broke out and Jean Wabafiyebazu and Wright were killed, Rodriguez was wounded in the arm, and a fourth person was also shot and hospitalized according to a prosecutor.
Marc Wabafiyebazu was waiting outside the home in his mother's car when the shooting happened, according to his father Germano Wabafiyebazu, speaking from Canada.
"My younger son who was inside the car when he heard the gunshot, he came outside and rushed inside the house found Jean dead," he said.
CBS4's Natalia Zea spoke with Marc's classmates at Palmetto Senior High School. Sophomore James Findley said Marc was a loner at school.
"He was always by himself. Always eating lunch by himself. Always standing by the wall by himself. He was quiet. He was shy."
Findley said he attended a party with Marc and Jean, and says Jean sold drugs at the party. He said Marc was "well-mannered and respectful" and that he simply followed his brother's lead.
Wednesday evening, at the home where the teens were shot, a large group of young people gathered to remember Joshua Wright.
One woman, who identified herself as the girlfriend of Anthony Rodriguez, said she did not understand the violence.
"Those Canadian kids, I don't know who they are or why they came over here but all I know is, they took an innocent life," she said.
As crime scene investigators with Miami Police wrapped up a second day of gathering evidence at the home, neighbors who live near the apartment building in the 3600 block of SW 17 Terrace described a terrifying scene.
"We saw a guy come out with a gun in his hand. It looked like he was shot in the shoulder and another guy stumbling behind him. He was shot in the stomach and he fell toward the floor," said Alex Hernandez.
Marc Wabafiyebazu and Rodriguez were both charged with murder. Under Florida Law, anyone who participates in a violent felony that results in death can face a murder charge.
According to our news partners at The Miami Herald, Marc Wabafiyebazu is also accused of threatening a public servant. The Herald is reporting that after Marc Wabafiyebazu was arrested, he threatened to kill a police detective by shooting him in the head.
In court, state prosecutor Santiago Aroca said Rodriguez had given a full confession to his part in the incident.
Aroca also said Rodriguez brought a gun to the deal but did not shoot.
Rodriguez's defense attorney, Jose Elortegui, told the court his client should not be charged with murder. He said Rodriguez left his gun in the car and had no idea there would be a shooting.
Marc was taken into custody Monday.
"Police showed up surrounded the house. They dragged a young kid out. He was screaming something about his brother and nasty words and the police tell him he killed him," said Carlos Medina.
On Wednesday, Gulliver sent out the following statement to parents:
"Dear Gulliver Parents,
We are writing to inform you about the tragic loss of Jean Wabafiyebazu, a 17-year-old senior at Gulliver. Jean joined the Gulliver community in February 2015, as he needed specific courses only offered at the school in order to graduate from his Canadian high school.
We would like to extend our heartfelt sympathies to his family, faculty, staff, classmates and friends."
Marc and his brother are the sons of Roxanne Dubé who recently took the job as consul general in Miami.
Marc is being held at a juvenile detention facility and has a hearing scheduled for April 8.
His attorney, Curt Obront said Marc has no prior criminal record and that he would plead not guilty.
The State Attorney's Office has not yet announced whether it will try Marc as an adult.
The Canadian government and U.S. State Department officials are working with police in the investigation.
Sources close to the investigation said detectives are feeling pressure with the international spotlight on their work.