"They left to go start life with family [Sandra] had in Tennessee," says Congressman Meek. "They needed to get as far away from that house as they could to heal."
The identity of Valentine's killers remains a mystery. Police are investigating leads tied to disgruntled business associates, but no arrests have been made. There's no indication in public records — in court, with the Realtor Association of Miami-Dade County or at the Better Business Bureau — of complaints against Leon Valentine.
Brian Stauffer
Brian Stauffer
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And the town has closed ranks around him. "Valentine seemed to be a great guy," says Det. Stefano Brajdic, the lead investigator on the case. "No one's said anything bad about him."
Valentine's mother and brothers (Michael, Mark, and Marvin) all declined to comment for this story. Mark, whom Leon was extremely close to, was disbarred this past April, following allegations that he embezzled money from clients. He and Leon shared a Coconut Grove office that's now for sale.
And there are indications of financial problems. In August, American Express sued the brothers, seeking to recover nearly $65,000 in overdue credit card bills. Mark owed the bulk of it. Leon allegedly owed $5000.
"Mark is just absolutely devastated," says Bill Diggs, president of the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce and the local chapter of 100 Black Men. "I've never seen brothers that close."
All the Valentines can do now is wait. Officials at the State Attorney's Office and the Miami-Dade Police Department refused to comment about whether Marshall is under investigation for the killing. But the accused bandit's lawyer, Lucian Ferester, denies his client had anything to do with either the murder or the robbery. Ferester contends that Marshall couldn't have hired the gunmen. "Marshall's jail commissary account has never had any money in it. He's broke. Unless he has money in a Swiss bank, then he ain't paying for that murder." Ferester added that the State Attorney's Office has stopped asking them questions.
The two other suspects in the crime (Gold Pants and the unseen getaway driver) remain at large. Police and prosecutors would not comment about them, either.
Marshall's robbery case is set for trial January 22. He has been in jail since his arrest in August; Valentine made sure of that. Because of the past felony convictions, Marshall now faces a possible life sentence. The dead man's testimony, if the judge admits it, will be the thing that puts him away.
"The defendant is a danger to society," Valentine wrote in his October 2005 affidavit. "The only way the community can be protected is for him to remain incarcerated pending trial in this matter. I am in fear for my personal safety as well as the safety of my family."
