Domestic Violence Homicides in Collier County

The following is an ongoing list of victims of domestic violence homicide in Collier County. The content was taken from media accounts and statistics from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). We do not have details on every homicide. If you know information that is not included on this page, please contact Kaydee Tuff at 239-775-3862 or email ktuff@naplesshelter.org

Total stats: 80 murders & 11 abuser suicides since 1993.

1993

Kathleen Allison was strangled to death by her ex-husband in front of their 4-year-old daughter.

1994

Brenda Smith was shot to death by her ex-husband, who committed suicide while awaiting trial.
Robin Maxson, 23, was stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend, who then committed suicide.

1995

Janet Pittman, 42, was shot to death by her husband four days after obtaining a restraining order against him.
Irene Destine, 33, was shot to death by her estranged husband in the presence of her children ages 2 and 18 months.

1996- 1 homicide

1997 – 6 homicides

Melissa Mardis, 18, and Barney Ray Phillips, 26. Melissa was married three months and was estranged from her husband, who beat her on their wedding day. He returned weeks later and drove his car through their apartment living room window, shot Melissa, and chased Barney through the neighborhood before shooting him.
Shana Martinez, 27, and Logan Martinez, 3. Shana was a Naples school teacher. Her husband shot her and their son Logan on Mother’s Day. He then committed suicide
Consuelo DeLeon, 28, fled to Naples to escape her abusive husband. He found her, shot her, and then committed suicide
Beverly Tyler, 60, moved to Naples and lived in a gated community, “safe” from her abusive ex-husband. He found her and shot her to death.

1998 – 2 homicides

1999 – 0 homicides

2000 – 2 homicides

Sandra Kipp and Sgt. Jeff Kline. The weekend Sandra moved away from her husband (a former law enforcement officer), she and friend Jeff Kline (CCSO) were shot by her estranged husband.

2001 – 3 homicides

Sylvia Lasco, 60, was in treatment for cancer when she was shot by her ex-husband outside of her doctor’s office.

2002 – 1 homicide

Margaret Whiteman Vahlkamp, 33, was stabbed 13 times by her husband in the bathroom of her apartment. Three weeks earlier, he had been released on $19,000 bond for several counts of felony domestic violence and assault on a law enforcement officer.

2003 – 2 homicides

Sonia Lopez, 27, was shot several times by her live-in boyfriend while three of her four children were in the apartment. Two of the children witnessed the murder.
Phyllis Hubbard, 62, was shot by her husband in a retirement mobile home park.

2004 – 4 homicides

Maria Perez, 49, was shot in the closet of a neighbor’s apartment after being chased out of her apartment by her estranged husband.

2005 – 0 homicides

2006 – 3 homicides

2007 – 6 homicides

Sherri Bell was killed by her husband Rick, who then killed himself by monoxide poisoning in the garage of their home in North Naples. Sherri was found dead on the kitchen floor with a white garbage bag over her head, and a blue, nylon rope tied over the bag around her neck.

2008 – 1 homicide

2009 – 10 homicides

Guerline Dieu Damas, 32, and her five children — Michzach, 9, Marven, 6, Maven, 5, Megan, 3, and Morgan, 1 were killed by her husband Mesac Damas. Their throats were cut with a filet knife in their North Naples town house.

2010 – 7 homicides

Claudia Isabella Krautwurst Healy, 33, was killed by her husband William John Healy III, 41, who then killed himself in their home in Verona Walk in East Naples.

2011 – 1 homicide

Suzanne Bishop, 45, was killed by her boyfriend Christopher Serna, 38, in his Naples condo. Bishop had been stabbed roughly 125 times and her severed head was spiked onto a medal rod.

2012 – 2 homicides

Concetta (Konnie) Del Duca Bedell – 44, was shot to death by her partner Lawrence MacDonald on the back porch of her home off Piper Blvd. There was an active restraining order on MacDonald at the time of Konnie’s death.
Natalia Trejo, 17, was shot by her boyfriend Coby Martinez Deleon, 18, at her family’s home in Immokalee. Deleon then shot himself.

2013 – 3 homicides

Johana Nunez Ruiz, 35, and Joseph Suazo, 18, were shot and killed by her husband (also Joseph’s father).

2014 – 2 homicides

Naples police officer Amy Young was shot in the face by her boyfriend, Naples Police Office Luis Monroig – before he shot and killed himself at their Estero home.

2015 – 1 homicide

Heather Lee Grimshaw, 45, was killed by her boyfriend Michael Zutten, 51. Her remains were found in Picayune Strand State Forest.

2016 – 5 homicides

2017 – 2 homicides

Omaida Garcia was shot to death by her boyfriend in the bedroom closet of her North Naples townhouse.
Barbara Bitterman, 61, was shot in the face by her husband Michael Bitterman in their home in Collier’s Reserve. Michael Bitterman then shot himself. Friends said she had talked about divorcing him prior to her death.

2018 – 3 homicides

Rubi de los Angeles Velasco, 18, was killed by Santiago Burbano, 20, in his family’s apartment at Tuscan Isle Apartments. Burbano used a knife to slit Rubi’s throat.
Victoria Colon, 49, was shot by her husband Raymond, Colon, 52, in the driveway of their Golden Gate Estates home.

2019 – 1 homicide

Yeykenia Garcia-Broche, 28, was shot by Jose Alfredo Avila Pena, 50, in the parking lot of Lely High School as she left her evening Adult English class.

2020 – 4 homicides

Colton Warren, 5, was shot to death by his father Paul Warren, who then killed himself in their East Naples apartment. The boy’s mother had recently separated from Paul Warren, who wanted to rekindle the relationship. When she refused, he took their son’s life.
Cindy Peel was stabbed to death by her husband, who then killed himself in their home in the City of Naples.

2021 –

2022 –

Donald Lee Whitaker, 50, was charged with second-degree murder after he ran over his girlfriend with his minivan. Deputies found Whitaker holding the victim in his arms after responding to a possible domestic disturbance.

2023 –

Lisiana Raphael was killed by her husband 71-year-old Racine Raphael after he hit her on the head multiple times with a tire iron. Her body was found in the laundry room of their home.
Natacha Christine McKinley was shot multiple times by her ex-boyfriend Eric Brian Jensen in the parking lot of a public plaza off Bayshore Drive in East Naples. Jensen then drove to his home, where he shot and killed himself.
Laura Candia was shot by her ex-boyfriend Michael Anthony Maldonado in Immokalee. She was the passenger in a car driven by her grandmother Olga Welch. Maldonado crashed into their vehicle and shot over 30 times. Laura was pronounced dead at the scene and Olga was transported to the hospital with 17 bullet wounds. Maldonado was charged with homicide.