A Lehigh Acres woman is dead and her nephew is facing four felony charges after deputies say he attacked her and another family member inside a duplex on Haviland Avenue South, then tried to flee before he was caught nearby. Whycliff Longin, 28, appeared before a Lee County judge last Saturday, where the judge found probable cause for second-degree murder, attempted murder, sexual battery, and occupied burglary with battery.
According to the Lee County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded at 2:54 a.m. on August 27 to a domestic disturbance call at a duplex in the 2400 to 2900 block of Haviland Avenue South. A surviving woman, identified by Tampa Free Press as Longin's cousin, told investigators she woke up to a man on top of her attempting to strangle her before she managed to escape and barricade herself inside a bathroom to call 911. Deputies arrested Longin fleeing a neighboring residence shortly after they arrived, per the sheriff's office.
Investigators searching the adjacent unit discovered the body of Longin's aunt, 28-year-old Whycliff Longin's relative Amadette Longin, dead inside a bedroom from blunt force trauma. The District 21 Medical Examiner's Office officially ruled her death a homicide, and the sheriff's office noted that Longin had a domestic relationship with both victims. Longin now faces homicide, attempted homicide, sexual battery, and burglary with battery charges, and he remains held in the Lee County Jail as state prosecutors requested pretrial detention.
A Home Opened to Family, Then Shattered
Relatives told WINK News that Amadette Longin worked as a healthcare worker and mother who had opened her home to provide housing for her nephew after he arrived in the United States. Family members described her as deeply devoted to her family, according to the same report.
Federal officials say Whycliff Longin entered the United States unlawfully through Florida in 2024, and according to the Tampa Free Press, he was released into the country under the Biden administration at the time. He was actively seeking asylum prior to his arrest, per public statements from the Lee County Sheriff's Office.
DHS Confirms Detainer, Cites State Law
On Wednesday, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin issued a statement criticizing former border policies and confirmed that ICE lodged a detainer with the Lee County Jail on August 27 to prevent Longin's release into the community. Mullin said ICE has lodged a detainer and will work with Florida partners to ensure Longin is never released onto the streets, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The detainer requests that local law enforcement notify federal authorities before any potential release so that immigration officials may take custody afterward. Under Florida Senate Bill 168, codified under Chapter 908 of the Florida Statutes in 2019, all Florida law enforcement agencies and county correctional facilities are legally required to honor federal immigration detainers and assist ICE agents, banning local sanctuary policies statewide, per the Florida Senate.
Detainers issued under federal law request that local detention facilities hold removable individuals for up to 48 hours beyond their scheduled release to facilitate a transfer to ICE custody. During Longin's first appearance last Saturday, the presiding judge noted on the record that the federal detainer is a separate administrative matter from the state criminal proceedings, meaning Longin must complete local court proceedings before any potential deportation.
Case Adds to a Difficult Summer in Lehigh Acres
Lehigh Acres, an unincorporated area of Lee County, was the site of several major crimes investigations handled by the sheriff's office's Major Crimes Unit over the summer, according to Gulf Coast News. Local deputies responded to multiple high-profile homicides and domestic violence calls across the community in recent months, the outlet reported.
Longin remains held in Lee County custody as his case moves forward, with further court proceedings pending. Whether he faces removal to Haiti will not be decided until the state's criminal case against him is fully resolved.
