Whycliff Longin faces four felony charges after deputies responded to a Haviland Avenue South duplex early Thursday.
LEHIGH ACRES, FL — A 28-year-old man is accused of killing one woman and attacking another at a Lehigh Acres duplex before deputies took him into custody, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Whycliff Longin faces charges of second-degree murder, attempted murder, sexual battery and occupied burglary with a battery in connection with the Aug. 27 incident on Haviland Avenue South. The District 21 Medical Examiner ruled the woman’s death a homicide, the sheriff’s office said. Longin made his first court appearance Saturday, when a judge found probable cause for all four charges.
Deputies were called to the duplex in the 2900 block of Haviland Avenue South at about 2:54 a.m. Thursday after a woman reported an attack. Sheriff Carmine Marceno said the woman told investigators she awoke to find Longin on top of her and strangling her. Authorities said she was able to break free, barricade herself inside a bedroom and call 911.
When deputies arrived, Longin fled through the back of the residence and went into the neighboring side of the duplex, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies surrounded the area and took him into custody. Authorities had initially described the situation as an isolated incident with no continuing threat to the public.
Deputies then conducted a safety sweep of the neighboring residence and found another woman dead inside a bedroom. The sheriff’s office said she showed signs of blunt-force trauma. Her family later identified her to local news organizations as Amadette Longin. Authorities have not publicly detailed the exact circumstances leading to her death beyond classifying it as a homicide.
Marceno announced the charges Friday following an investigation by the sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit and other agency personnel. The sheriff’s office said forensic work remained underway and indicated that additional charges could be considered as the investigation develops. Authorities have not publicly announced a motive.
Longin appeared virtually before Judge Andrew Marcus on Saturday morning and required a Creole interpreter, according to Gulf Coast News. Longin waived a formal reading of the charges. Marcus found probable cause on each count, and prosecutors filed a motion seeking to keep Longin jailed while the criminal case proceeds.
The sheriff’s office said Longin is from Haiti and is in the United States seeking asylum. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed a detainer on him after his arrest, according to the agency. Marceno said Longin’s immigration matter would be handled separately from the state criminal prosecution.
The case remains pending, and the charges are allegations that have not been proven in court. Longin remained in the Lee County Jail as the state sought continued detention and investigators continued working on the homicide case.
Author note: Last updated August 29, 2026.