Haitian national arrested after allegedly killing woman with hammer in Fort Myers

A Haitian national has been arrested and charged in connection with the fatal hammer attack of a woman outside a gas station in Fort Myers, Florida, according to U.S. authorities and police reports.

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) assisted the Fort Myers Police Department in tracking down and arresting 34-year-old Rolbert Joachin following the violent incident.

According to a police incident report, officers responded on April 2 to multiple 911 calls reporting that a woman had been attacked with a hammer at a gas station. When police arrived, they found the victim lying on the ground with multiple head wounds and not breathing.

Witnesses told officers that the suspect first smashed the woman’s car windshield before approaching her and striking her in the head with a hammer.

“The suspect approached female (the victim) and struck her in the head with the mallet, causing her to fall to the ground. The suspect then continued striking the victim approximately three to four additional times while she was on the ground,” the police report stated, recounting witness accounts.

Authorities later identified the woman as a convenience store employee at the gas station.

Investigators identified Joachin using surveillance footage from the store. According to police, officers had previous interactions with him, most recently on March 24. Photos of the suspect were circulated on social media and shared with local media outlets before an officer spotted him walking along Mango Street in Fort Myers.

Police said Joachin was taken into custody without incident and later “provided a detailed confession about the murder,” according to the police report.

Florida authorities have charged Joachin with murder without premeditation. He is also facing an additional felony charge for property damage and criminal mischief. Court records indicate that he is being held without bond and has been ordered to have no contact with the victim’s family. He is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday and does not appear to have an attorney listed in court records.

Earlier, DHS said Joachin entered the United States in August 2022 and was released pending immigration proceedings. A federal judge issued a final order of removal that same year, according to DHS, which also said he was later granted Temporary Protected Status that expired in 2024.

ICE has lodged a detainer against Joachin, meaning immigration authorities have requested notification before his release from local custody. DHS said he could face deportation following the outcome of the criminal case.

The investigation remains ongoing.