On August 24, 2024, a tragic incident occurred at a residence in the Westview neighborhood of Northwest Miami-Dade, resulting in the deaths of Raiza Cajuso, 39, and her ex-partner, Marcos Antonio Gonzalez, 40. The incident happened around 8:34 a.m. when Gonzalez arrived at Cajuso's home, located in the 12000 block of West Randall Park Drive, near the corner of Northwest 124th Terrace.
Gonzalez and Cajuso had been in a domestic relationship but had separated and were not living together at the time of the incident. Upon his arrival, Gonzalez engaged in a verbal argument with Cajuso, which escalated into violence. He shot Cajuso before turning the gun on himself. The shooting was witnessed by their three children, aged 9, 13, and 15, who were all present in the house.
The 15-year-old child made a 911 call to report the incident. Police and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded promptly, but both Gonzalez and Cajuso were found dead at the scene. The youngest child was taken to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital as a precaution and was later released and reported to be doing well.
Neighbors described hearing multiple gunshots, with one neighbor, Armando Hernandez, recounting that it sounded like lightning and was very close. The community was shocked by the incident, with many expressing sadness and surprise, as the family had seemed like nice people.
The investigation revealed that there had been no recorded history of domestic violence between the couple. However, the incident highlights the importance of seeking resources and support in domestic relationships that may turn violent. The children have been placed with an adult family member who lived with them.
Miami-Dade Police Detective Andre Martin emphasized the tragedy of the event and encouraged anyone in a potentially violent domestic relationship to seek help, noting the availability of domestic violence injunctions as a useful tool to address such concerns.
