Loved ones gather, demand justice for 21-year-old Julia Lima after deadly Fort Myers shooting

Family and friends of 21-year-old Julia Lima gathered at Lakes Park to honor her memory and demand justice after her death last Monday in Fort Myers. Lima was shot and killed at the Village Creek apartment complex, an incident that led Fort Myers police to shut down Winkler Avenue during their investigation. Police have since arrested Lima's ex-boyfriend, Willian Do’Amaral, who is accused of the deadly shooting. At the memorial, Lima’s mother, Joice Lima, and her half-sister, Beatriz Rodrigues, shared their grief and called for justice. “I think the final message is she was a victim. She was a victim, and a lot of people are trying to take that away from her and from the family. She was a victim, and her family is a victim too. She has no blame in this. She has no fault in this. She did everything she could to walk away,” Rodrigues said. Leticia Almeida, a family friend, also spoke about the need for accountability. “He needs to stay where he is and pay for what he did. I think even being his whole life there, it’s not enough, I think, for what he did. I think justice means he pays for what he did, so we can know that she’s in peace because we did everything for her,” Almeida said. The memorial featured songs, stories, and tearful speeches as loved ones remembered Julia. “I want to celebrate that because she shines. She’s a light,” said Joice Lima. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.