Lee County Sheriff\'s Office Florida deputies say Jonathan Hernandez Zuluaga died while breaking into a home when a window fell on him, pinning him and leaving him suspended, but Hernandez Zuluaga's fiancee disputes that claim.
A 32-year-old Florida man was killed while possibly trying to break into a home in Lehigh Acres when the window he was climbing through closed on him, leaving him pinned and suspended hanging from the window, police say.
According to Lee County Sheriff Public Information Officer Lieutenant Russell Park, who posted a video on Facebook about the incident:
Jonathan Hernandez [Zuluaga] attempted to break into a home by climbing through a window at a residence on 46th Street Southwest. While Hernandez was trying to work his way through the window it unexpectedly closed on top of him pinning him and keeping him suspended in air. When deputies arrived, they found Hernandez deceased.
The Fort Myers News-Press reported that the property manager where Hernandez Zuluaga was killed shared a photo with them showing “a person caught in a window with a green frame about 5.5 feet off the ground. The window is closed on his neck and the man’s right arm hangs at his side, his body limp.”
According to Hernandez Zuluaga’s obituary, he was a musician who worked as a landscaper and was also a father of five children:
Jonathan Hernandez Zuluaga, 32, of Lehigh Acres, passed away unexpectedly on December 12, 2020. He was born November 01, 1988, in Pereira, Colombia. Jonathan was most recently employed as a landscaper. He leaves behind 5 children, and 2 step children, (Azaylia, JR, Tazekyah, Romyah, Zaniyah, Juliano, and Zavian) and a fiancée, (Patricia). Jonathan will live on through his kids, fiancée, and closest friends, he considered his brothers (Romeo, Chaunsye, Serge, Tysn, and Slim). He will be missed dearly. His friends and family will ensure his music lives on.
NBC2Johnathan Hernandez Zuluaga with his fiancee and four of their five children.
Hernandez Zuluaga Was ‘No Stranger to Law Enforcement,’ According to Police
According to Park, Hernandez Zuluaga was a convicted felon and “no stranger to law enforcement. In fact, in 2014, he was arrested for his involvement in a murder case.”
One commenter on the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Facebook post says Hernandez Zuluaga was accused of being involved in her brother’s death, but Hernandez Zuluaga “beat the charges.”
Missy Plummer wrote, “I hope he has found peace with God. I don’t wish death on ANYONE. He was one of the 4 men arrested in my brother’s death and had the audacity to look at me and laugh as he left the witness stand. My baby brother. My best friend. You would think he would’ve chosen a better lifestyle whet he beat the charges.”
Another commenter, Corrin Goree, wrote in response to Plummer, “He was there when my ex got killed. It was a setup 😢😢😢. Don’t feel bad he got what he deserved. Either way he was gonna [end up] in prison or dead in prison so…”
On Facebook, Hernandez Zuluaga’s fiancee, Patricia Duarte, said he “was not no common f****** criminal.” In reference to the 2014 case, Duarte wrote:
that murder charge y’all keep talking about…. Jonathan Hernandez was NOT charged in that case. He was fully acquitted no charges EVER filed against him. It’s been statements made saying he was the driver he was a snitch. FALSE AND FALSE Jonathan was NOT the driver. The driver on that case was related to the person that is currently in prison for that charge. Snitch? Jonathan sat on that stand in court and stated “ idk I was knocked out sleep in the backseat”.
An April 2014 article by the Lehigh Acres Citizen called the fatal shooting of Plummer’s brother “a drug deal gone bad.” Heavy was unable to obtain official records to confirm the statements that Duarte, Goree and Plummer made on social media regarding Hernandez Zuluaga’s criminal history.
Hernandez Zuluaga’s Fiancee Doesn’t Think His Death Happened as the Sheriff’s Office Is Reporting
According to local station NBC 2, Duarte thinks there is more to the story.
“Soon as I got there I’m like, there’s no way. This isn’t what happened,” she told NBC 2. “I need a proper investigation. I need the actual truth to come to light.”
In a December 17 post on her Facebook page, Duarte wrote, “… JONATHAN was not killed by no f****** window‼️ Jonathan had none of his belongings on him including his phone, and $600+ my baby was set tf up and robbed. So when the truth comes out I hope y’all get your karma and learn not to believe everything you read on social media, media and even LCSO. A proper investigation is currently underway.”
In talking with NBC 2, Duarte said of Hernandez Zuluaga, “When I first met him, I was like man he looks like he has a rap sheet like El Chapo. And he’s the complete opposite of that. He’s the sweetest person you’d probably ever meet and has the biggest heart.”
Another friend named Tyson Lane said something similar, telling NBC 2, “He is not a burglar. He’s not a thief. He’s not a bad guy. That’s not what he is. If he had a roof over his head and you didn’t, he would give you a roof over your head, bring you in his household. That’s something that he did for a lot of people including myself.”
Instagram and Youtube posts show that Hernandez Zuluaga was an aspiring musician who went by the name lsdUFO or lsdboyz_worldwid3.
On December 2, Hernandez Zuluaga posted on Instagram, “Thank you to all my fans who supported me this year and took time to keep streaming my music bigger things n more music to come 2021.”
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