Andres Gonzalez, 73, has pleaded not guilty to two first-degree murder charges in the deaths of Esther Liontos and Roger Arredondo Gonzalez.
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FL — Relatives of a southwest Miami-Dade couple are seeking answers after a 73-year-old man was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in their deaths, a case that began when the pair were found dead at a rural Redland property in June.
Andres Gonzalez faces two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Esther Liontos, 58, and Roger Arredondo Gonzalez, 61. Gonzalez was arrested in Puerto Rico in August after Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office homicide detectives obtained a warrant. He has since been returned to Miami-Dade, where he pleaded not guilty and was being held without bond.
The arrest marked a major development for relatives who had spent weeks trying to understand what happened to the couple. Shortly after the deaths, a relative of Liontos described Liontos and Arredondo Gonzalez as wonderful people who loved their family. The relative said the family was dealing with grief, confusion and anger while hoping for justice. Other relatives also told local news outlets that they struggled to understand who would want to harm the couple.
Deputies were called to a property in the 26100 block of Southwest 209th Avenue at about 8:36 a.m. June 19 after a report of an unconscious woman, according to the sheriff’s office. Investigators said deputies found Liontos on the ground outside the residence. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue pronounced her dead. Arredondo Gonzalez was found nearby and also pronounced dead.
The sheriff’s office initially disclosed few details about how the couple died. An individual was detained after deputies arrived, but investigators said at the time that detectives planned to question that person to determine whether he had any involvement. Authorities did not immediately announce an arrest, and the victims’ identities were released several days later after their relatives had been notified.
More details emerged after Gonzalez was returned to South Florida and the case moved into court. According to allegations described in his arrest warrant and reported by local news organizations, investigators believe Gonzalez had previously been friends and business associates with Liontos and Arredondo Gonzalez. Gonzalez closed Andy’s Nursery in 2022, and his wife told investigators the couple bought equipment and plants from the business for $14,000, according to the warrant. She told detectives she believed $2,000 remained unpaid. That account is part of the investigation and has not been established as fact at trial.
Investigators also cited vehicle and cellphone-location evidence in the warrant. According to the investigative account, a blue Chevrolet Equinox was tracked in connection with the area where the couple was killed. Gonzalez’s wife told detectives he had been driving the vehicle around the time of the killings. Authorities also investigated the movements of one of the victims’ phones, which was missing from the property. Gonzalez’s own cellphone was not placed at the scene during the relevant period, according to the reported warrant.
The warrant also says Gonzalez traveled from Fort Lauderdale to Puerto Rico on a one-way ticket on June 19. His wife told investigators that he had said he needed to travel because of a family emergency, according to the warrant. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office later said homicide detectives determined Gonzalez’s whereabouts and obtained an arrest warrant. U.S. marshals in Florida and Puerto Rico and Puerto Rican authorities assisted in taking him into custody.
When the sheriff’s office first announced the Puerto Rico arrest Aug. 19, authorities said Gonzalez was awaiting extradition and an arrest affidavit was not yet publicly available. At that point, officials had not publicly detailed the evidence they said connected him to the deaths. The subsequent release of investigative allegations provided more information about the prosecution’s case, but those allegations have not been proven in court.
Gonzalez remains accused, not convicted, of killing Liontos and Arredondo Gonzalez. He has entered a not-guilty plea to both first-degree murder charges, leaving the allegations and evidence to be addressed through the court process as the victims’ relatives await further answers in the case.
Author note: Last updated September 29, 2026.