UPDATE:
Fort Lauderdale Police detectives said on Wednesday evening that they consider Daniel Santo Dovi to be a person of interest in the Lauderdale Beach double murders.
According to Set. Ali Adamson, a department spokeswoman, the “close proximity” of two crime scenes and the evidence that is still being process turned the department’s attention to Dovi.
The crime scene at 3054 N. Ocean Blvd.is where two men were found stabbed to death earlier this week, while 2613 Center Ave. is where Dovi allegedly threatened to kill a man.
“Some of the items that are contributing to us concluding that he is a person of interest include multiple edge weapons and clothes that appear to be freshly washed inside of his vehicle,” Adamson says.
Dovi, who is from Pennsylvania, appeared in Broward County court on Wednesday morning. He was arrested after a Tuesday chase on I-95 ended with a Florida Highway Patrol trooper’s PIT maneuver and a rollover crash.
The 64-year-old was driving a white Jeep Wrangler when the chase began in Lauderdale Beach, as detectives were investigating the two deaths near Dovi’s alleged illegal campsite.
Dovi was diagnosed with Schizophrenia and he has been on disability for the last eight years, according to his brother, Anthony Dovi.
“He is very peaceful,” Anthony Dovi explained to Judge Corey Cawthon, adding that his brother has been struggling with their mother’s death two years ago, and he has been off his medication for about a year.
However, prosecutor Eric Linder said Michael Jones disagreed with that explanation.
Jones called 911 after he found Dovi on his property. He said Dovi pushed and threatened to kill him, crashed into his Porsche and his partner’s golf cart, and then fled.
Daniel Dovi faces two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of criminal mischief, fleeing and eluding law enforcement officers and battery. Dovi’s bond was set at $97,000.
Adamson asks anyone with information or surveillance video to call Fort Lauderdale detectives at (954) 828-5344 or Broward County Crime Stoppers at (954) 493-8477.
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ORIGINAL STORY:
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – BSO Detectives are trying to determine whether a man who led officers on a chase along Interstate 95 is also responsible for a double homicide in Fort Lauderdale.
A few hours after detectives found the two stabbed to death in Lauderdale Beach, Michael Jones told police officers he found an intruder nearby with “crazy in his eyes” who threatened to kill him.
Jones said the man was camping on his property and told police he was driving a white Jeep Wrangler with a Pennsylvania tag.
Jones said when he asked the man to leave he threw him to the ground then smashed his Jeep into a golf cart driven by Jones’ business partner.
“He continued in reverse and he backed up, full-speed, into my Porsche Turbo S and destroyed the entire side of it,” Jones said.
Officers chased the intruder northbound on I-95 until a Florida Highway Patrol trooper’s maneuver caused him to crash.
“The incidents occurred within close proximity and timeframe to one another and as result detectives are looking into the possibility that the two incidents may be related,” said Detective Ali Adamson, a spokeswoman for the Fort Lauderdale Police Department.
Officers responded to the double murder shortly after 6:00 a.m. at 3054 North Ocean Blvd where two people were found on the beach stabbed to death.
Then they were dispatched to the aggravated battery on Jones about three hours later at 2613 Center Ave.
Jones said officers told him the man was armed with two hunting knives.
Adamson is asking anyone with information about the crime scenes to call detectives at 954-828-5534 or Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.