Homestead

A man was shot and killed early Tuesday morning near Laura C. Sanders Elementary School in Homestead. Authorities reported that the shooting occurred near the intersection of Southwest Sixth Street and 328th Avenue. The public is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers with any information regarding the incident.

Detectives from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office are searching for 15-year-old Normayia Mayfield, who was last seen near Southwest 338th Street in Homestead around 9 a.m. on Friday. She was wearing a long sleeved light blue jean jacket, pink knee-length dress, and teal colored Crocs. Anyone with information can contact MDSO Deputy D. Guzman or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers.

Three candidates are competing for Miami-Dade County's eighth district commission seat: Danielle Cohen Higgins, Martha Vega Hero, and John Dubois. The district includes Homestead and Palmetto Bay, with key issues including traffic, budget management, and community development. Cohen Higgins focuses on traffic solutions and fiscal oversight, Hero emphasizes collaboration and community projects, and Dubois has not participated in interviews yet.

Homestead police arrested Maurice Timothy Dukes, 35, and Sarahi Azucena Gonzalez, 22, after a 5-year-old child was hospitalized with injuries in various stages of healing. Both suspects admitted to inflicting injuries including facial trauma, abrasions, and linear loop-shaped markings. The Florida Department of Children and Families is involved in the investigation, and bond amounts were set during court proceedings.

South Florida dried out after heavy Saturday rains, with Homestead recording over two inches of rainfall. Additional showers are expected by Sunday, particularly in the Keys and metro areas, with temperatures rising into the lower 90s and unsettled conditions continuing into the workweek.

A 31-year-old Homestead man, David Martinez Jr., was arrested after allegedly beating his non-verbal, autistic 4-year-old son for 25 minutes using a belt and open hand, causing abrasions and red marks. The incident occurred at his home on Thursday afternoon, with in-home surveillance confirming the abuse.

Ada Caballero, a Miami-Dade County teacher, was arrested for allegedly attacking her boyfriend with a knife and stealing his cellphone during a domestic violence incident. She faces charges including armed robbery, aggravated assault, and battery. Caballero, employed at St. John’s Episcopal School, was held on a $6,000 bond as of Tuesday.

A 18-year-old man in Homestead was arrested after allegedly punching another man during a food dispute and threatening to kill him with a kitchen knife. The victim fled the residence and called police, who found the knife described as having a black handle and serrated blade.

A heat advisory is in effect for South Florida from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, with heat index values reaching up to 110 degrees despite actual temperatures in the upper 80s and low 90s. Local 10 Meteorologist Jennifer Collins emphasized heat safety precautions, including hydration and avoiding prolonged outdoor exposure. The National Weather Service issued the advisory, citing dangerously hot and humid conditions.

A 22-year-old Homestead man, Inaky Sesmas-Borrego, was arrested for participating in three organized intersection takeovers in Miami-Dade County, where drivers blocked traffic and performed dangerous stunts. He faces three felony counts of coordinated highway drag racing and was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center with a $2,500 bond.

A 29-year-old former employee of a T-Mobile authorized retailer in Cutler Bay is accused of defrauding customers by keeping trade-in phones, activating unauthorized cellular lines, and falsifying billing records. The individual resigned in February before the fraud was discovered, causing the business over $26,000 in documented losses.

A Homestead man, Josmanny Alexis Valdez, and co-defendant Celestino Ayala Jr. allegedly burglarized a Kendall Dodge dealership, stealing 18 infotainment systems from Dodge Ram trucks between 2019 and 2026. They cut through a fence to access secured vehicles, damaged wiring harnesses, and sold stolen systems on Facebook Marketplace before being arrested during an undercover operation.

Multiple organizations and local governments are deploying aid and requesting donations to support disaster relief efforts in Venezuela. Initiatives include setting up drop-off locations, deploying search-and-rescue teams, and providing emergency medical and food assistance.

An aid drop-off location opened in Homestead to assist Venezuela after two major earthquakes. Phil Ehr, a retired U.S. Navy commander running for congressional district 28, partnered with Global Empowerment Mission to collect supplies including first aid kits, emergency gear, and baby care items. Volunteers are preparing donations for delivery.

Two women in their late 20s or early 30s died after a Tesla crashed into a large truck on South Dixie Highway in Homestead at 3:30 a.m. The crash occurred in the northbound lanes near Southwest 127th Avenue, with the Tesla hitting the truck at about 20 mph. The cause remains under investigation.

Police in Homestead are searching for 16-year-old Normayia Mayfield, who was last seen on 6th Street early Friday morning. She has brown eyes, black and blonde hair, and was wearing a green romper, black-and-red checkered pants, and a pink leopard print head covering. Her family disclosed she experiences mental illness, and authorities are urging the public to provide information.

Homestead police are searching for 16-year-old Normayia Mayfield, who was last seen Thursday morning in Homestead and has bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Authorities report she refuses to take prescribed medications and is not in the right state of mind, prompting a public appeal for information.

An 11-year-old girl in Homestead was sexually abused by her second cousin Christian Heras, who later murdered her father and staged the crime scene to appear as a fatal fall. Detectives uncovered the abuse and murder after the girl came forward with help from the Kristi House Children’s Advocacy Center.

Police in Homestead are searching for 16-year-old Rashaud Jay Dixon, who was last seen leaving his home on Southeast 12th Road at 3 p.m. on Wednesday. He contacted his mother later that night with concerning statements, and authorities classify him as a missing endangered teen. Officials are urging the public to provide information.

A Missing Child Alert has been issued for 16-year-old Rashaud Dixon from Homestead, who was last seen on Wednesday and made concerning statements to his mother before vanishing. Authorities describe him as 5 feet 10 inches tall, Black male with black hair and brown eyes, last seen wearing white clothing and black sandals.

A South Florida caregiver, Denise Robinson, is charged with stealing and pawning jewelry worth over $56,500 from three elderly patients aged 95, 83, and 81. Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office officials allege she took the jewelry without authorization and sold it at pawn shops.

Two restaurants, Royal Palm Grill & Deli in Homestead and Coyote Taqueria in Miami Beach, were cited for 35 and 31 violations respectively during recent inspections. Royal Palm Grill & Deli was ordered shut in 2024 due to a roach infestation and multiple repeat violations, including mold, food debris, and improper storage. Coyote Taqueria previously met inspection standards in seven prior checks but failed its latest inspection with 31 violations.

Amber Nicole Collier, 32, faces two felony charges after allegedly ramming a person and a pickup truck during a road rage incident at a Raising Cane’s in Homestead. Police reported she drove recklessly through the drive-thru, engaged in a verbal altercation, and intentionally targeted the victim’s passenger. Collier previously had a traffic-related arrest in April.

A small plane overturned after a hard landing at the Pilot Training Center in Homestead, with the sole occupant—a student pilot—uninjured. The incident occurred on Saturday morning, following a separate small plane crash near North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines the previous day.