Detective Honored With Duplicate Award He Buried With Beloved Father
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - When police made a grim discovery, finding the body of Raquel Calderin this past June in a Southwest Miami Dade canal, it was the culmination of a sad murder investigation.
Miami Dade Detectives Jonathan Sabel and his partner Det. Juan Segovia promised Calderin's children they wouldn't rest until they cracked the case.
"The one promise we made to (the family)," said Det. Segoiva in an interview with CBS 4 News in July, "is that we would never stop looking for her mother."
With Calderin's estranged husband charged with the murder, the case was solved. The two detectives were given the prestigious "Law Enforcement award for Investigative Services."
Sabel's father, a retired Miami police officer couldn't have been more proud. "I went up the podium and I looked back and saw him smiling. He gave me the thumbs up," recalled Det. Sabel. "It was just a very special moment."
That special moment soon turned tragic when Detective Sabel's father unexpectedly passed away. Overcome with love for his dad -- he decided that award should be shared with his father.
"I went up the to the casket and told him I loved him and that if it wasn't because of him, I wouldn't have won this award because of all the teachings he taught me in my life."
Det. Sabel placed the award in the casket with his dad. When his fellow detectives got the news they took action.
"The members of his squad reached out and told me the story of his father passing away ," said Sunny Isles Police Chief Fred Maas, who is in charge of the award committee. "They told me the story of his love and respect for his father."
In a surprise ceremony, the awards committee gave Det. Sabal a duplicate award -- honoring not only his dedication to the case, but the love between father and son.
In an unexpected surprise Det. Sabel's dad's name was included on the duplicate award.
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