Slain Miami-Dade Cop Was Key State Witness
MIAMI (CBS4) -- Authorities in Puerto Rico continue to investigate the death of a vacationing Miami-Dade Police officer and his sister.
Here in South Florida, Miami-Dade Police are stunned after officer Juan Leonardo Aviles Otero, who was shot and killed along with his sister on the side of a road in a remote part of southern Puerto Rico.
Authorities in Puerto Rico said the 34-year-old Aviles and his sister were gunned down in Villalba, Puerto Rico at about 3:30 in the morning. It is a remote area on that island. It's not clear what the motive was or why they were out so early in the morning.
"Juan was a great friend," said Aviles' friend Josie Ayala. "He was there for anyone who needed him no matter what. He was a great dad. Great Husband. And we are going to miss him dearly."
Puerto Rican police say Aviles and his sister were not robbed. They are investigating the sister's ex-boyfriend. They also say that three envelopes filled with white powder were found at the crime scene. Police there confirm it was cocaine.
Angel Feliciano, the Homicide Police Director for Puerto Rico, said, "They found it (the cocaine) in his pants and they found an additional envelope which had already been consumed."
"At this time we are not going to address any of those allegations," said Miami-Dade Commander Nancy Perez. "We are going to afford him the same opportunity to remain innocent until proven guilty."
Ayala did address Aviles' character.
"All I want to say is that everybody needs to understand Leo served his country not only with the Miami-Dade Police Department, but he was a police officer in Puerto Rico," Ayala said. "He served in the Army. He was a sergeant. He served in the Puerto Rico National Guard. And he has always been there for his community and country he loved to serve."
But besides just the personal loss for the family and friends of Officer Aviles, his murder has sent shockwaves through the investigation of the Wackenhut Metro Rail fraud case.
The CBS4 I-Team discovered that Officer Aviles was going to provide alleged key testimony in the racketeering and conspiracy trial against former Wackenhut managers. The trial is scheduled to begin in just weeks.
"At the moment, we are evaluating the impact of this officer's death on our Wackenhut criminal case," said Ed Griffith of the State Attorney's Office. "Certainly the officer's death does not help our case."
Officer Aviles, as outlined in arrest warrants, was an individual who gives testimony in the case that included allegations that the county paid Wackenhut for security services that the company never produced.
Officer Aviles had testified that he previously worked for Wackenhut from 2000 to 2003. According to one warrant Aviles swore to, "One of the posts was routinely left unmanned. He advised that it was because Wackenhut was billing Miami-Dade County as if the post was manned. He added that this was known as a 'ghost post' among supervisors."
The CBS4 I-Team has reached out to Wackenhut for comment, but so far has not received any word from the company.
Aviles was married with several children. His wife recently had twins. He joined Miami-Dade Police in December of 2006 and worked in the Midwest district and was based in Doral. Aviles' widow is also a Miami-Dade officer. She works in the South District.
"Keep these children who are without a father, and his wife, and his family in your prayers," Perez said. "He was and will always be the hero of the family."
Aviles had just arrived in Puerto Rico last weekend.
"He came on vacation to see his mother," said Carmen Otero, the officer's aunt. "To spend Mother's day and see his sisters. He was going to leave on the 18th."
Miami-Dade Police are respecting the jurisdiction that police in Puerto Rico have. But they are offering to send any resources that are necessary to Puerto Rico to help in this investigation.
Friday afternoon, Miami-Dade Police released a statement saying two members of the Police Department have been sent to Puerto Rico to "support and shorten the lines of communication." The police department members are part of the Police Officer Assistance Trust and will begin to make arraignments for the family.
A Trust Fund has been established for the family of Juan Aviles. The Police Officer Assistance Trust has setup two easy ways to donate either through a check or online.
Online – The website is www.poat.org. Click on the link on the homepage to make your donation with a credit or debit card or by check. If paying by check, make it payable to the Police Officer Assistance Trust or POAT. Please notate Officer Juan Aviles Trust Fund in the memo area of your check.
Mail to:
Police Officer Assistance Trust
1030 NW 111 Avenue
Miami, Florida 33172
