What started as a routine lockout call in West Miami ended in deadly gunfire, with a 37-year-old locksmith shot in the head in a seventh-floor hallway and a 32-year-old man now facing a second-degree murder charge.
Miami police say the victim, identified as Adrian Venereo, was found Friday evening in a corridor of an apartment building on the 6300 block of Southwest Eighth Street and pronounced dead at the scene with a gunshot wound to the head. By Saturday, detectives had arrested Luis David Lemus, 32, who is listed in jail records as facing one count of second-degree murder with a deadly weapon, according to CBS Miami.
Officers were called to the building around 6:30 p.m. Friday and located Venereo on the seventh floor, police said. Investigators used surveillance video and witness statements to track down Lemus, eventually detaining him near Southwest 52nd Court and Seventh Street, according to WPLG Local 10.
A witness later told officers that he and Lemus had been changing the locks on Lemus’ front door when they accidentally locked themselves out and called Venereo to help them get back inside, CBS Miami reported. As Venereo worked on the lock, police allege Lemus pulled a gun and shot him in the head, then ran downstairs on foot. The witness, who was found holding a revolver, told investigators that Lemus had “hurt someone,” according to the report.
Investigation And Medical Examiner Findings
The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner determined Venereo died from a gunshot wound to the head and ruled the case a homicide, according to WPLG Local 10. Detectives took Lemus to the homicide office for questioning, where he gave a statement that was redacted from the public report. Police are asking anyone with information to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers.
Risk To Service Workers
The killing is the latest reminder of the risks faced by workers who answer lockout calls and other service requests in private homes and apartments. In 2022, a locksmith was shot and killed while on a job in West Perrine, a case that highlighted the dangers for tradespeople responding to calls from strangers, according to CBS Miami. Investigators say the motive in the West Miami shooting is still unclear as they continue reviewing surveillance footage and interviewing witnesses, and the case remains an active investigation.
