An individual from Haiti, who had previously been detained and then released by the Biden administration in 2022, has been apprehended following an alleged violent attack that resulted in the death of a woman outside a Fort Myers gas station in Florida. The incident occurred in broad daylight on Friday.
Rolbert Joachim, aged 40, now faces charges of second-degree murder and property damage, as noted in jail records from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Surveillance cameras captured footage that purportedly shows Joachim smashing the windshield of the woman’s vehicle. He then approached her and allegedly struck her repeatedly on the head with a hammer, leading to her death, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The victim, whose name has not been publicly disclosed, was reportedly employed as a store clerk at the gas station where the tragic event unfolded.
According to local news source Gulf Coast News, the deceased was also a mother to two teenage daughters, adding another layer of tragedy to the incident.
She was also the mother of two teenage daughters, according to a report from local outlet Gulf Coast News.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) assisted the Fort Myers Police Department in tracking down and arresting Joachim on Mango Street in Fort Myers.
Joachim first entered the U.S. in August 2022 and was released into the country under the Biden administration, according to DHS.
Rolbert Joachim is allegedly pictured in surveillance footage on the day of the Florida killing. (Fort Myers Police Department)
A federal judge issued a final order of removal against him later that year, but he was granted Temporary Protected Status — which expired in 2024.
“This illegal alien barbarically hit this woman in the head multiple times with a hammer,” DHS acting assistant secretary Lauren Bis wrote in a statement. “This heinous murderer was RELEASED into the country by the Biden administration. Not only did the Biden administration release him into the country, but they then gave him temporary protected status. Their reckless immigration policies cost this woman her life.”
Rolbert Joachim being arrested after allegedly killing a Florida mother with a hammer. (Fort Myers Police Department)
ICE has lodged a detainer against Joachim, and he will be deported regardless of the outcome of the case.
“The arrest of this criminal is an example of how ICE and local authorities can work together to swiftly bring criminals to justice and make our communities safer,” Bis said.
