The death of a 30-year-old mother of three found near a dumpster last week sparked online rumors of a serial killer in Broward County, but Fort Lauderdale police said Tuesday those claims are false and a suspect is already in custody.
Police arrested 34-year-old Altavious Powell in connection with Heller’s death. According to court documents, an anonymous tipster told detectives that Powell confessed to the killing.
Fort Lauderdale police said Daneshia Heller was discovered Wednesday near a dumpster, naked and covered with cardboard. Her family says they have spent nearly a week leaning on one another as they grieve.
“I can tell you all of us have not slept because we want justice,” her aunt, Latoya Snell, said.
Snell described Heller as loving and caring. Her family said she fought for her life in her final moments. They expressed disgust at the condition in which her body was found.
“She was a human, and she was treated like an animal,” her father, David Heller, said. “And I couldn’t be there to help her, and I would give my life for my kids.”
As the family mourned, they were also forced to confront false claims spreading online about a possible serial killer in the area. Police addressed those rumors directly.
“We are here to dispel any rumors or concerns,” Sgt. Don Geiger of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department said. “We do not have a serial killer that we are looking at in the city of Ft Lauderdale.”
A public defender assigned to Powell has filed a motion to withdraw from the case due to the previous representation of Heller. A hearing on the motion is scheduled for Wednesday.
