Fort Myers man accused of killing woman with mallet denied bond

FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK)—Rolbert Joachin, who stands accused of killing a woman outside a convenience store, appeared in court Wednesday, wearing a brown jail uniform and chains, as prosecutors moved to keep him behind bars.

Joachin, while also facing deportation, is facing trial after documents from the Department of Homeland Security say he repeatedly hit a woman in the head with a hammer at a Fort Myers gas station, killing her. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with the Fort Myers Police Department, tracked down and arrested Joachin in early April.

Assistant State Attorneys argued for pretrial detention, calling multiple pieces of evidence, including surveillance video and a confession show a strong case against him. The state's key witness, Fort Myers Police Detective Laynor Rodriguez, testified he led the homicide investigation.

The attack happened around 7:18 a.m., and Joachin was located later that day at 2:34 p.m. Surveillance video of the killing was recovered and shown in court.

Joachin was found wearing clothing matching the suspect's, with a yellow shirt recovered from his backpack. A surveillance photo shows the suspect holding a mallet, believed to be the weapon.

Rodriguez also testified that Joachin was read his rights in both English and Creole, acknowledged understanding them, and gave a detailed confession. According to testimony, Joachin told investigators he went to the gas station to kill the victim, damaged her car to lure her outside, and wore similar clothing from a prior encounter so she would recognize him.

The detective also told the court that Joachin has no permanent residence or employment. He is considered a local homeless individual and is in the U.S. legally under temporary protected status.

Joachin was already a suspect in another case. The defense argued for release on conditions, such as electronic monitoring, but prosecutors said no level of supervision would be sufficient.

Judge Nick Thompson agreed with the state, citing the violent nature of the attack shown on video, the defenselessness of the victim, Joachin's lack of ties to the community, and his confession. The judge ruled there are no conditions of release that would protect the public or ensure Joachin returns to court.

Joachin will remain held without bond. His arraignment is scheduled for May 4 at 8:30 a.m. in courtroom 7B.