A South Florida man and woman have been arrested after breaking into and ransacking the Coral Gables home of a couple less than 24 hours after they were killed in a helicopter crash in Kenya.
Police identified the suspects as Geybert Alexander Garcia, 40, and Melany Perdomo, 24.
Authorities accused the pair of targeting the home of Henry Parra, 55, and Adam Hlavaty, 42, who died alongside five other people when their safari helicopter crashed in Kenya.
The burglary happened while the victims’ families were dealing with the aftermath of the fatal crash.
According to investigators, the pair “ransacked the residence and removed numerous items belonging to the decedent such as personal and business documents, jewelry, electronics, and artwork.”
They also stole the couple’s 2023 Land Rover and 2020 Porsche Taycan, an arrest report states.
The report mentions the crash, but doesn’t state whether or how investigators believe that Garcia and Perdomo became aware of the couple’s deaths before the burglary.
According to investigators, the suspects broke into the couple’s home on Valencia Avenue in Coral Gables, Florida, between August 20 and August 22, shortly after Parra and Hlavaty died in Kenya.
The break-in caused damage to the property’s front door and security system.
The suspects removed a large amount of property from the residence, including valuable artwork, sculptures, jewellery, electronics and personal and business documents.
They also allegedly stole the couple’s luxury vehicles, including a Land Rover Range Rover and a Porsche. Authorities estimated the stolen property at approximately $500,000 (about Sh64 million).
Investigators eventually used technology to trace the stolen property. A digital signal from the couple’s stolen MacBook led investigators to a location in Miami-Dade County. Police also tracked the stolen Range Rover.
The information helped investigators identify the location where some of the stolen property had been taken. Authorities then obtained a search warrant and searched the property.
Police found Perdomo in an upstairs bedroom, while Garcia allegedly attempted to hide in a second-floor bedroom closet. Both suspects were subsequently arrested.
Investigators recovered several items believed to belong to Parra and Hlavaty, including documents and property connected to the couple. A sculpture valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars was also among the recovered items.
Garcia and Perdomo face several felony charges over the alleged burglary.
The charges include burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, grand theft auto and first-degree grand theft. They are being held without bond following their arrests.
The case took another turn during a bond hearing when Garcia’s lawyer disputed the prosecution’s account of what happened.
His attorney argued that Garcia had documentation that purportedly gave him permission to enter the property and take possession of the vehicles.
“It’s notarized and signed by three other individuals granting him permission to have possession of those vehicles as well as granting him permission to enter the premises.”
A longtime friend of Parra and Hlavaty reportedly told the court that the couple had a live-in maid and would not have authorised Garcia or Perdomo to enter their home.
The court will ultimately determine the validity of Garcia’s claimed authorisation and the allegations against both suspects.
Parra and Hlavaty were among seven people killed in a helicopter crash in Kenya on August 19, 2026.
The couple had travelled to Kenya for a safari when the helicopter carrying them crashed near Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County. The crash killed everyone aboard. Five of the seven victims were Americans.
Parra was a co-founder of an aviation software company, while Hlavaty worked as a real estate executive.
