BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. (Le Floridien) — Robens Cesar, a ‘jealous’ Haitian resident of Boyton Beach faces first-degree murder charges in connection with the shooting death of his ex-girlfriend, Daniel Fridele.
According to Boynton Beach police, the homicide occurred approximately 9:00 am on Wednesday (November 8) in the parking lot of the Meadows on the Green Apartment Complex.
Cesar is believed to have killed Fridele, who was also a native of Haiti, in a jealous rage.
Witnesses at the scene reported hearing multiple gunshots, and upon police arrival, Fridele, 34, was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds.
Shortly after the incident, the 41-year-old man was located on the 100 block of North West 14th Avenue and taken into custody by authorities.
During questioning, the jealous lover admitted to police that Fridele refused to get back together with him, and he couldn’t bear the thought of her being with another man. He stated that her call to the police was the “last straw.”
“Our thoughts and sympathies go out to the family and friends of the victim during this difficult time. The investigation into this incident is ongoing, and we will work to continue to work tirelessly to ensure the suspect is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” the Boynton Beach Police Department said in a statement.
Cesar is facing charges of premeditated first-degree murder and is currently held without bond in the Palm Beach County Jail.
“The victim and the suspect…were at the Boynton Beach Police Department prior to the shooting incident,” police said in a statement.
The female victim had been there to report Cesar’s alleged stalking, as reported by CBS 12, and she informed them that he followed her to the station as well.
Daniel’s family told the station that Cesar had been waiting for her when she returned from the police station just before 9 a.m. Allegedly, she said, “Oh, did you bring a gun to kill me?” to Cesar before he shot her dead.
Daniel leaves behind a 16-year-old daughter, who lived with her at the apartment complex where the murder took place.
“It’s not something you want to see in your neighborhood, especially when we have so many children here,” Dawn Rosado, who has lived at the complex for several years, said. “It’s frightening in your own backyard. It’s really horrific to see. Especially in our building, we’re all family. We all look out for one another.”
Boynton Beach authorities said they are investigating the incident to “ensure all actions taken were in accordance with established policies and procedures.”
The officer who took Daniel’s report has been placed on leave as the department investigates the incident. “We are fully committed to transparency and accountability and we will continue to keep the public informed of any significant developments in this case,” the department said.
