WSVN — He was a father trying to protect his daughter, He did, but standing up to some horrible criminals cost him his life. Tonight, the search for those two criminals in Out For Justice with Patrick Fraser.
This out for justice reminds us life is not fair.
Shakila Stewart: “Maurice was my everything.”
Shakila Stewart’s husband was a wonderful father and husband.
Shakila Stewart: “Always was a provider for his family.”
And while trying to provide protection for his young daughter, two thugs took his life.
Shakila Stewart: “Two armed men came into my room, put a gun to my head and told me to get out and go into the living room with Maurice.”
It was Feb. 12, 2013, the two men were wearing bandanas to try to hide their faces. They were looking for money.
Shakila Stewart: “Maurice was telling them they got the wrong house, please don’t do this. They insist, ‘We here for the money. Give us the money.'”
Maurice was telling the truth. The family didn’t have a lot of money.
Shakila Stewart: “Maurice was begging them, ‘Please let us go, don’t do this, I got a family.'”
But the two crooks didn’t want to hear it and made a threat that Maurice would not tolerate.
Detective Eutimio Cepero: “They emphasized what they would do to the daughter who was still sleeping in the next room, at which point our victim, Mr. Harris, got the power and the will to stand up to an intruder with an ak-47.”
Shakila watched as Maurice tried to stop the gun toting crook from going into his 11-year-old daughters bedroom.
Shakila Stewart: “Maurice then told them, ‘Do not go into my daughter’s room.’ The guy said, ‘Oh you think we’re playing with you?’ And he went walking towards my daughter’s room. Maurice jumped on him from the back, both of them flipped, the gun went off and shot Maurice in the chest.”
The two robbers fled. Shakila and their 11-year-old daughter were fine, but Maurice Harris was dead.
Detective Eutimio Cepero: “We believe they were in their early 20’s. I know there were two black males, one was taller, one was shorter. The shorter of the two was dark skinned, very very dark. The taller of the two was lighter skinned.”
Patrick Fraser: “Why did the robbers target Maurice? A Liberty City man who couldn’t even work because of an illness? Who knows what goes through criminal’s minds. Maurice had just driven home on his motorcycle, maybe they followed him and thought it would be an easy robbery. Detectives just don’t know.”
Detective Eutimio Cepero: “As of right now we really don’t have any leads, but rule of fact is that people like to talk. A lot of people like to brag about what they did and hopefully this will be one of those situations.”
Two things we do know, Maurice had the courage to go after an armed man who was threatening to hurt his daughter and the killers were cowards for shooting an unarmed man. Now Shakila knows what needs to happen.
Shakila Stewart: “Maurice was a loving father. These guys need to be up under the jail cell.”
If the killers did brag about what they did, if someone makes a call, they can wind up in a jail cell.
Shakila Stewart: “I have faith that someone’s you know, going to bring these guys in.”
Help bring two more killers in. Two men who targeted a Liberty City family. If you have an information, make an anonymous phone call to Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers.
And if you have lost a loved one and want to remind people you are still out for justice, give us a call. With this Out for Justice, I’m Patrick Fraser, 7News.
CONTACT OUT FOR JUSTICE:
Miami-Dade: 305-598-HELP (4357)
Broward: 954-796-HELP (4357)