The home of a South Florida couple who died in last week’s helicopter crash in Kenya was ransacked days after their deaths, with police arresting a man and a woman accused of stealing valuables worth more than KSh64 million.
Henry Parra, 55, and Adam Hlavaty, 42, were among seven people killed when a helicopter crashed near Mount Ololokwe in Samburu County on August 19.
The couple, who lived in Coral Gables, Florida, died alongside other travellers with ties to South Florida.
According to investigators quoted by BBC, the burglary took place between August 20 and August 22, less than a week after the crash.
Coral Gables police arrested Geybert Alexander Garcia, 40, and Melany Perdomo, 24, on Tuesday in connection with the burglary at the couple’s Valencia Avenue residence.
Investigators said the suspects allegedly ransacked the property and stole several valuable items, including artwork, jewellery, electronics, cash, personal belongings and business documents.
Police also said the suspects took a 2023 Land Rover Range Rover and a 2020 Porsche Taycan from the home.
The investigation reportedly gained a breakthrough after detectives tracked a stolen Apple MacBook belonging to the couple. The laptop’s signal led officers to a residence in Hialeah, where the stolen vehicles were also found.
A neighbour also provided investigators with surveillance footage that allegedly showed the suspects leaving the property.
A family friend described the extent of the damage, saying the home’s security system had been broken and the front door and lock extensively damaged.
Parra and Hlavaty had been married since 2017 after holding their wedding at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables.
Hlavaty was a real estate executive who served as vice president of development for Benihana and was involved with the Coral Gables Art Museum. Parra was a software executive and co-founder of Trax USA, an aviation maintenance software company based in Coral Gables.
The other victims of the August 19 crash included Miami entrepreneur Roger Duarte, Telemundo executive José Alberto Suárez, Ecuadorian intelligence official Michele Sensi-Contugi, his wife Stephany Hollihan, and pilot Josh Outram.