Willy Suarez Maceo <\/a>appeared in a court hearing four years after Miami Police arrested him, after detectives described him as a serial killer who targeted several homeless men in the city.<\/p>\n\u201cHomeless individuals for apparent no reason had been brutally targeted,\u201d Miami Police Chief Manny Morales said in 2021.<\/p>\n
During Maceo\u2019s court appearance on Wednesday, he brought a handwritten letter he was adamant about reading to the judge.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou may, but you don\u2019t have to, and I\u2019m aware that the defense, in general, these specific lawyers, any defense attorney would prefer that you not say anything,\u201d the judge told Maceo.<\/p>\n
Despite the legal advice, Maceo continued speaking his mind.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am not a criminal. I am not an evil person. I suffer from schizophrenia, bipolar type II disorder, and depression,\u201d Maceo read aloud. \u201cI am not guilty by reason of insanity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maceo continued reading his letter, questioning the evidence against him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is the evidence that proves that what happened was intentional and premeditated?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors say there\u2019s strong evidence that links Maceo to the crimes, including surveillance footage from 2021 that shows a man parking a Dodge Charger in the same area where someone was fatally stabbed.<\/p>\n
In the video, you can see an individual walking toward the location before prosecutors say Maceo is shown running.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou will see him now coming back, running away from the scene,\u201d said Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle.<\/p>\n
In another video, a Dodge Charger is shown pulling to a stop next to a man who was sleeping on a sidewalk.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors say the driver shot and killed that man.<\/p>\n
Investigators say the footage provided a clear view of the license plate on that Charger, which was registered to Maceo.<\/p>\n
While taking Maceo into custody, body camera video shows officers finding a loaded handgun on his waist, a weapon they believe was connected to the crimes.<\/p>\n
Maceo is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.<\/p>\n
Back in court, Maceo continued to share his thoughts on the case until his own attorney had had enough, pleading with him to stop talking.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter four years, I have\u2026,\u201d Maceo said before being interrupted.<\/p>\n
\u201cSir, I\u2019m gonna stop you. You are saying things that are going to be used to incriminate you at a trial,\u201d his attorney said. \u201cAnd what you are doing is you\u2019re harming your case. But if you want to go ahead, I can\u2019t stop you.\u201d<\/p>\n
After giving a brief pause, Maceo continued to lambast the evidence brought by the prosecution.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have yet to see any evidence that proves that what happened was intentional and premeditated,\u201d Maceo said.<\/p>\n
Maceo then asked the judge to be taken from the jail to a hospital for a mental health evaluation. A request that the judge told him she did not have the power to grant.<\/p>\n
She did encourage Maceo to allow his attorneys to handle his case going forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are trying to save your life. The death penalty in the state of Florida is real,\u201d she told Maceo. \u201cPlease let them do their jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Following Wednesday morning\u2019s hearing, Maceo\u2019s public defender filed a motion to withdraw from the case.<\/p>\n
Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.<\/p>\n
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