Man of Family Found Murdered in Florida in Custody in Haiti

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Mesac Damas

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The man whose wife and five children were found murdered in their home is now in the custody of Haitian authorities. Collier County Sheriff’s officials have not officially named 33-year-old Mesac Damas as a suspect in the deaths of his family, he was picked up and held by Haitian National Police because an arrest warrant had been issued for Damas on charges of violating probation stemming from a January arrest for domestic violence.

A statement released today said that Federal officials have began the necessary paperwork associated with international extradition proceedings in order to have Damas returned to the U.S. Earlier today, the FBI's legal attache in the Dominican Republic notified Florida authorities that a man “believed to be Damas had been taken into custody by Haitian national police”, the statement said.

Police launched an extensive search for Damas after the bodies of his family were found and Damas’ GMC Yukon Denali was found abandonded at the Miami International airport. He was last seen about 9 p.m. on Thursday at the Naples restaurant where he was employed as a cook. On Friday, he is thought to have arrived at Miami International Airport about 7 a.m. He boarded a flight for Haiti about 10 a.m.

On Friday, a family member worried about the family after being unable to reach them asked authorities to do a welfare check. The police knocked on the door and got no answer, but the officers saw no indications that anything was amiss and left. The following morning, the family member became more concerned and filed a missing persons report. Later, police returned to the home and  requested a  key to the house from property management and an authorization to enter. At 6:30 p.m., the bodies were found.

Authorities have said that Mesac and Guerline Damas had a history of domestic violence. The latest incident took place in January. At his court appearance in June, Damas pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery charges against his wife. So far it is not known whether Damas served any jail time.The Damases had been married about 10 years.