In the words of his heartbroken family, Eddrick Malik Bethune was the “baby of our family,” a 22-year-old man who would forever be their little brother. His loss on October 4, 2026, left an emptiness in their lives that they said could never be filled. On a fundraising page created to help with funeral expenses, his family remembered a young man who was deeply loved and whose absence left them struggling to process the pain.
They shared that no matter how old he or his siblings became, he would always be their baby.
The terrifying events that led to Eddrick’s death began just after midnight on that Sunday in Miami-Dade County, Florida. A group of five men, who had been waiting outside the Aliro Apartments on Biscayne Boulevard in North Miami, ambushed Eddrick as he walked through the parking lot. Two of the men, wearing shirts with the word "Police" on the back, jumped out of a Toyota Camry that was equipped with flashing red and blue lights. They ordered Eddrick to the ground, handcuffed him, and took his apartment keys and phone.
While some of the assailants forced Eddrick into their car, three others, including a man later identified as Devorise Carl Johnson, used the stolen keys to enter Eddrick’s third-story apartment. Inside, they were confronted by another person who was armed with an AK-47 style rifle. A shootout erupted, and Johnson was struck by gunfire multiple times. The chaotic scene was partially captured on a neighbor's cellphone video, which showed the intruders desperately jumping from the third-floor window to escape. One man appeared to drop a large amount of cash as he fled.
The armed men then sped away from the apartment complex with Eddrick held captive in their car. They drove nearly 40 miles south, leaving a trail of evidence that spanned the county. Johnson, wounded in the shootout, was dropped off at Jackson North Medical Center for treatment. The remaining abductors continued to a remote area near Southwest 216th Street and Southwest 189th Avenue. There, on the side of the road, Eddrick Bethune was shot multiple times and left to die.
Around 7:25 a.m., a captain with the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office discovered Eddrick’s body. The investigation, led by the sheriff's office, soon connected his murder to the earlier abduction and shooting in North Miami. Later, investigators found the suspects' Toyota Camry intentionally set on fire near Southwest 248th Street and 157th Avenue, an apparent attempt to destroy evidence. The complex crime scene left residents of the Aliro Apartments shaken and fearful.
Ten days later, on October 14, 2026, authorities made an arrest. Devorise Carl Johnson, 21, was taken into custody upon his release from the hospital. He was charged with a string of felonies, including first-degree murder, armed kidnapping, armed robbery with a firearm, and falsely impersonating an officer. He was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center and was denied bond on several of the charges. At the time of his arrest, police stated that four other men were involved in the crime, and the investigation was ongoing.
In the wake of the tragedy, Eddrick’s family created a GoFundMe page to ask for help in giving him a proper farewell. They wrote, “We never imagined having to ask for help to bury someone we love, especially our baby brother. Our family is hurting in ways that are difficult to put into words.” As of October 2026, the case against Devorise Johnson was proceeding, while the other four suspects remained at large. Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers offered a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to further arrests and urged anyone with tips to call 305-471-TIPS.
