Florida Fugitive Captured: Step-Son Accused of Killing Father Figure in Cold Blood
Plantation, Fla. — For more than seven months, a quiet Broward County neighborhood carried the weight of an unanswered question: where was the young man accused of gunning down his step‑father just two days after Thanksgiving?
That question was finally put to rest late Wednesday, July 9, when Plantation police confirmed they had taken 28‑year‑old Haile Selassie Richards into custody. Richards is charged with first‑degree, pre‑meditated murder in the November 30, 2024 shooting death of Clayous “Paul” Peart, 57, inside the family’s home on the 7000 block of West Sunrise Boulevard. Authorities have not said how — or where — they located Richards, only that he was booked into the Broward County Jail Wednesday evening and is being held without bond.
The night everything changed
According to investigators, the violence unfolded in front of Richards’ mother, who is Peart’s longtime wife. Police say Richards argued with his step‑father, pulled a gun, and opened fire. “Everybody thought Paul was just the coolest guy. He was a gentle soul,” recalled neighbor and homeowners‑association president William Yarrow, who watched officers swarm the community that night.
In the immediate aftermath, Richards fled in his mother’s gray sedan, crashing a mile away before abandoning the car and disappearing on foot. K‑9 units, a Broward Sheriff’s Office helicopter, and dozens of officers combed backyards and canal banks, but the perimeter search came up empty.
A community in limbo
Peart, affectionately called “Paul” by neighbors, was remembered as a meticulous handyman who fixed leaky faucets and waved to school‑age kids walking to the bus stop. In the weeks after the shooting, Yarrow said residents left LED candles at Peart’s mailbox and organized nightly porch‑light vigils. “It’s hard to sleep when you know the person who did this could be hiding two streets over,” he told reporters.
Plantation detectives issued a $10,000 Crime Stoppers reward, plastering Richards’ mug shot — a compact man with a large R.I.P. cross tattoo on his right shoulder — across bus benches from Sunrise to Hollywood. Tips trickled in, but each lead fizzled until this week’s breakthrough.
An arrest, but no closure yet
Authorities have not released details on Richards’ apprehension, citing the ongoing investigation. Legal experts note that because the charge involves pre‑meditated murder with a firearm, Richards could face life in prison — or, under Florida law, the death penalty — if prosecutors pursue it. For now, a first‑appearance hearing is expected in Broward County court later this week.
Peart’s relatives, who asked for privacy, issued a brief statement through a family friend: “We are grateful to everyone who refused to give up on Paul. Today’s arrest is a step toward justice, but the road to healing is long.”
What comes next
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First‑appearance hearing: Likely within 48 hours of booking, when a judge formally reads the charges and decides on bond (though murder defendants rarely receive one).
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Grand‑jury indictment: Prosecutors must present evidence to a grand jury before moving forward with a capital case.
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Mental‑health evaluation: Defense attorneys often request competency exams in domestic‑homicide cases, which can slow proceedings.
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Trial timeline: In Broward County, first‑degree murder trials typically take 18–24 months from arrest to jury selection.
For neighbors along West Sunrise Boulevard, porch lights were still glowing Thursday night — this time, some said, in cautious relief.
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