Collier County John Doe was a man who was killed during a robbery in Immokalee, Florida on May 18, 1980. Multiple individuals have been arrested and convicted for killing him.
Case[]
The victim was located behind Moody's Apartments on South 1st Street, 150 yards from the El Lucero Bar. He was fully clothed and his pockets were turned out which suggested he was robbed. He had multiple stab wounds, as well as lacerations and contusions.
The initial investigation revealed that on the previous night, the victim was at the El Lucero Bar flashing a large sum of money and had encountered a woman named Shelia Maria Veliz, a truck driver for ABC Farms. The two exited the bar around 7:30 p.m.
An anonymous call indicated Veliz's involvement in the crime. Although Veliz was the primary suspect at the time, she would not be arrested until July of 1991. When detectives interviewed her after they reopened the case, she reportedly confessed to the crime and stated other individuals were involved as well.
On July 30, 1991, Veliz was charged with robbery and first-degree murder of the victim. She faced life imprisonment if she was convicted. On August 19, 1991, she pleaded innocent and Assistant Public Defender Tom Osteen ordered subpoenas against four men Veliz implicated in the robbing and killing.
Veliz conceded to meeting the victim, who she could only identify by the nickname "Chavo," at the bar on the night of May 17, 1980. After drinking a few beers, the two went for a drive in her car and drove to a dirt road where they started to make out. When "Chavo" asked for sex, she refused, and he left her car.
After he left the car, Veliz saw her brother, Fernando, and his friends Max Perez and Roberto "Tony" Reyes approach the victim and attacked him. She drove off and claimed that she never saw what happened to him, but that she did see one of the men pull out a knife. When the men came to her residence, they split the money and Fernando threatened his sister into silence.
On February 28, 1992, Veliz was found not guilty and acquitted of all charges. The jury of nine women and three men believed she was coerced by police to confess and that witnesses who implicated her had lied. Modern-day sources indicate that multiple individuals were eventually charged, convicted, and sentenced for the robbery and murder of "Chavo."
It is believed that "Chavo" was an undocumented immigrant and may have a wife and child in Mexico. His last name was possibly "Rodriguez."
Characteristics[]
- Brown eyes.
- Black, shoulder-length hair.
- Gold tooth in the upper front of the mouth.
- Mustache.
Clothing and accessories[]
- Button-down shirt with flower print.
- Tan trousers.
- White undershirt.
- Blue socks.
- Brown dress boots.
Belongings[]
- Bic lighter.
Gallery[]
