FL FL- William "Billy" Halpern, 28, former firefighter & bodybuilder, bound, beaten & throat slashed,@ his townhome, Miramar, 21/10/86, *DNA*

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Lengthy article.rbbm

New developments, DNA evidence have police a step closer to solving Miramar man's 1986 murder

New developments and DNA evidence in a man’s brutal 1986 murder in Miramar have police one step closer to closing the cold case.

www.nbcmiami.com

By Lena Salzbank and Brian Hamacher • Published 58 mins ago''​

''Halpern, 28, was found tied up, beaten and with his throat slashed inside his Miramar townhome.

At a news conference Wednesday, Miramar Police officials said detectives believe a group of people knocked on his door and that he let them inside.

"We know that Billy was safety conscious, we know that he would not have opened the door to anyone he either didn't know or didn't like," Det. Danny Smith said. "There was no forced entry at this house so our working theory is we had multiple people in broad daylight who went to Billy's townhome, knocked on the door, Billy allowed them into the house because he probably knew one or more of the people that were in this group. They pushed their way in. Once inside, Billy was bound, beaten and ultimately killed, his throat was slashed from ear to ear. This was done in broad daylight."

Halpern had been a former firefighter and bodybuilder who worked out at the Apollo gym in Hollywood, and his killing has been tied to a string of other murders back in the '80s that have been linked with the gym.

The gym's owner, Hubert "Bert" Christie, and a former Miami-Dade Police Officer, Gilbert Fernandez, were arrested and later convicted in the murders of three other people.''
''At a news conference Wednesday, police said they now believe Halpern was killed over something he heard or saw, in an attempt to keep him quiet.''

 

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Jan 17, 2024 rbbm

Cold case reopens: New developments in 1986 murder of former Hallandale firefighter - WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale

MIRAMAR, FLA. (WSVN) - The Miramar Police Department shed light on a decades-old cold case during a news conference on Wednesday. The once-dormant case came<a class="excerpt-read-more"...

wsvn.com

''Police believe that Halpern overheard individuals who frequented his gym talking about criminal activities.

Halpern’s sister, Lori, also spoke at the news conference.

“He was a loving, wonderful brother,” she said. “I miss him terribly. Everyone who knew Billy, loved Billy.”

Officials said they gathered partial DNA profiles for multiple suspects involved in Halpern’s murder.

Authorities now seek the public’s help in identifying these individuals, as obtaining their names would enable the pursuit of warrants for DNA collection.

If you have any information on this crime, contact Detective Danny Smith directly at 954-602-4113. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.''

 

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Jan 17, 2024
The Miramar Police Department shed light on a decades-old cold case during a news conference on Wednesday. The once-dormant case came back into focus after authorities uncovered new details over the span of 18 months.

 

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New developments could help Miramar police solve 37 year old murder mystery

Billy Halpern's murder has been tied to other murders in Miami-Dade, Broward in the 1980s

www.cbsnews.com

rbbm.
"During the course of the last 16 months of this investigation I have not been able to find anyone that can speak badly about Billy," said Smith.''

Billy HalpernMIRAMAR POLICE

''Smith said Halpern's murder has been tied to other murders throughout Miami-Dade and Broward in the 1980s and to the gym where he worked.
"Central to those murders was a former Miami-Dade police Officer Gil Fernandez and his partner, Bert Christie, who both worked and owned or ran Apollo Gym out of Hollywood. Many of the other homicides were also associated with that gym," said Smith.''

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This is the first of two parts. It should have been his last job. Richard "Dickie" Robertson was getting out, going straight. On April 1, 1983, Robertson had orchestrated a deal to sell 20 kilos of cocaine, worth roughly $300,000. And the timing couldn't have been better. He'd just purchased...

www.browardpalmbeach.com

By Trevor Aaronson
January 5, 2006
''The Miami cop then slipped on weight-lifting gloves and tied the three men's hands behind their backs. He wrapped brown cloth around their heads, covering their eyes.
They pleaded.
They begged.
Take the coke. Just let us go.''

New developments, DNA evidence have police a step closer to solving Miramar man's 1986 murder

New developments and DNA evidence in a man’s brutal 1986 murder in Miramar have police one step closer to closing the cold case.

www.nbcmiami.com

Gilbert Fernandez, Hubert Christie

 

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Detectives crack cold case of firefighter’s 1986 murder in Miramar

On Oct. 21, 1986, William “Billy” Halpern was brutally murdered in his Miramar home and now detectives said Tuesday they will announce the individual or individuals responsible for his death.

www.local10.com

'MIRAMAR, Fla. – On Oct. 21, 1986, William “Billy” Halpern was brutally murdered in his Miramar home and now detectives have announced the individual responsible for his death.'

''A week after Halpern’s death, Harry Van Collier, then 28, and another one of Halpern’s acquaintances, James Hinote Jr., 31, were fatally shot in their heads at a fellow gym member’s home in Pembroke Pines.

Detectives said they were able to match Van Collier’s fingerprints from a previous double murder to Halpern’s fatal stabbing and identified him as the primary suspect in this case.''

'Smith said he believes Halpern was killed to “keep him quiet” because he knew of the criminal activity that was taking place at the gym.'

 

[PayrollNerd]

Classic south Florida in the 1980s, drug running and flush with cash. So many lost their lives needlessly. JMO

 

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