20-05-2025
5 Miami men charged in burglary spree that ended in deadly hit-and-run: deputies
Five Miami men have been charged in connection with a 2023 hit-and-run crash that killed a 21-year-old motorcyclist during a late-night burglary spree targeting catalytic converters, Florida deputies announced Tuesday.
The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office identified the group as:
▪ Samuel Rosemond, 22
▪ Antonio Carbonell, 38
▪ Allen Hunt, 29
▪ Michael Trillo, 22
▪ Edwin Norris, 31
All five face felony murder charges. Additional charges include grand theft, burglary of an unoccupied structure, and traveling to commit burglary. Edwin Norris, the suspected driver in the deadly accident, is also charged with hit-and-run resulting in death.
94k in catalytic converters and a dead man
The events unfolded on April 4, 2023, when the group left Miami in two cars — a black Audi SUV and a silver Chrysler minivan — with the intent to steal catalytic converters from businesses in Sarasota County, according to Norris and Carbonell's arrest warrants.
Investigators say the group coordinated thefts at Arrow Environmental Services and All Glass and Windows, removing 22 catalytic converters valued at approximately $94,000.
At around 9:45 p.m., a business owner at AGW received a motion alert and called 911. Deputies responded to the scene, where they discovered a cut fence and 14 missing catalytic converters. Surveillance footage showed three people inside the fenced area using yellow saws to remove the parts.
As deputies were arriving, a black Audi SUV fled the area at high speed. Just minutes later — less than a mile from the burglary scene — witnesses reported the Audi ran a red light at the intersection of Lakewood Ranch Boulevard and Fruitville Road, striking a motorcycle driven by Leonardo Adams, 21. Adams was ejected and died at the scene.
'Leonardo was a kind, loving and talented young man who touched the lives of many,' his girlfriend Rayssa Goncalves wrote in a GoFundMe page. 'His family and friends are grieving his loss and are struggling to cope with the suddenness of it all.'
Gonclaves added that she started the fundraiser to transport Adams' body back to Brazil, where his family resides.
The Audi did not stop and was later found abandoned on the shoulder of I-75 near Fruitville Road, with damage consistent with the crash. Nearby, deputies found a ski mask, mechanic's glove and a yellow DeWalt saw—tools matching those used in the theft.
A coordinated criminal effort?
The ensuing investigation uncovered a well-organized theft ring, with each suspect assigned specific roles. According to detectives, Carbonell served as a scout and lookout, arriving in Sarasota early to identify targets and relay locations via group text.
Norris, Hunt, Trillo, and Rosemond would then leave Miami in the Audi SUV to carry out the thefts. The Audi was a rental.
'Each participant had an assigned role, such as scout, cutter, lookout, or getaway driver, with compensation corresponding to their responsibilities,' detectives wrote in Carbonell's arrest warrant.
Evidence — including GPS tracking, surveillance footage, cell tower data and post-Miranda interviews — placed all five men at the crime scenes.
GPS records showed the group dining at Joey D's Restaurant in Sarasota at 7:22 p.m. before heading to the targeted businesses.
Investigators also found a crucial email Norris sent to his ex-girlfriend shortly after the crash, in which he confessed, 'Almost killed someone on a motorcycle jus got in a chase we otw back na tho.' When she later sent him a news article about the crash, Norris admitted involvement and said he was 'shaking.'
Norris was arrested for an unrelated charge by the Lee County Sheriff's Office. On December 8th, 2023, admitted to being in the Audi at the time of the incident, but refused to acknowledge who the driver was during an interview. He also acknowledged discussing the incident with his ex-girlfriend, including sending the email.
Forensic processing of the Audi linked Norris's fingerprints to the steering wheel, while Hunt and Trillo's prints were found on the passenger doors. Surveillance confirmed the suspects re-entering the Audi after dinner and occupying the same seats seen during the crash and burglaries.
Norris, Carbonell and Rosemond are locked up in Sarasota County Jail without bond.
Hunt is awaiting extradition from Miami.
Trillo remains in custody in Miami-Dade County Jail, currently facing attempted murder charges in an unrelated case.
