A homeless man facing the death penalty, accused of bludgeoning a woman’s to death with a hammer, has been charged with the murder of a second woman who was found dead in woods near downtown Fort Myers months prior.
After investigating the mysterious death of Julia Curvo, 28, of Fort Myers, for nearly six months, State Attorney Amira Fox announced on Monday, June 29, that Rolbert Joachin has been charged with second-degree murder in suspicion of strangling Curvo to death.
“I am so sorry for your loss, and I hope that this takes one small step toward a sense of peace as we seek justice for you and your family,” Fox said, addressing Mark Curvo, father of Julia Curvo.
At the Monday press conference, Mark Curvo stood aside the state attorney wearing a nameplate necklace with Julia’s name on it and a photograph of her in his hands.
With his head lowered, Mark Curvo softly wept as Fox read a prayer he wrote in tribute to his daughter.
“Our hope is that she is now warm and safe in the arms of our Lord … she deserves justice,” Fox read.
Julia Curvo was reported missing on January 21 and, nine days later, Fort Myers Police Department officers found her body in a wooded area wrapped in a sleeping bag.
She was last seen alive near apartments at 1761 Fowler St., near Second Street in downtown Fort Myers.
Infamous SW FL murder suspect accused of second murder in 2026
Joachin, 40, was arrested by the Fort Myers Police Department on April 2 and remains in custody for an unrelated murder case that gained national traction.
The Office of the State Attorney announced that it would be seeking the death penalty against Joachin for the bludgeoning death of a Fort Myers store clerk named Nilufa Easmin.
Easmin, 51, was found dead outside the D & D convenience store at 3500 Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. early April 2.
A clerk of the store, she was publicly bludgeoned with what is suspected to be a hammer.
Joachin, 40, was arrested after being on the lam for several hours. Lee County Jail records indicate he is a transient.
Surveillance footage began circulating across social media depicting the graphic killing.
In the video, Joachin smashes a car window before Easmin exited the store and he attacked her with a hammer.
President Donald J. Trump posted on Truth Social, stating that “The video of her brutal slaying is one of the most vicious things you will ever see,” and further describing the suspect as an “animal.”
Who was Julia Curvo?
The missing-person-turned-homicide investigation into Julia Curvo’s death was one that left Southwest Florida law enforcement with many unanswered questions.
About one month after her body was found, the FMPD announced that Julia had died by murder, but the circumstances surrounding her death remained a mystery.
Authorities were unable to provide details about who killed Julia or how. The police department eventually asked the community for help.
In partnering with SWFL Crime Stoppers, authorities offered a $10,000 reward to anyone able to provide information that would lead to an arrest in Julia’s homicide case.
Mark Curvo told the News-Press in an interview shortly after Julia’s disappearance that his daughter was a sweet and strong woman who cared more about friends than herself, but suffered from mental illness. He recalled her as a “soulful” singer and songwriter.
The investigation into Julia Curvo’s death is still ongoing. Authorities have not made public the details surrounding her death, beyond the cause and manner of death: homicide by strangulation.
Joachin remains in custody on previous charges of first-degree felony murder and criminal mischief of $1,000 or greater. He is to appear in court for that case on September 9 for a case management hearing.
Tayeba Hussein is a breaking news reporter for The News-Press & Naples Daily News. Reach her at thussein@usatodayco.com.
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This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Hammer killing suspect charged in second Fort Myers woman’s death
Reporting by Tayeba Hussein, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Fort Myers News-Press
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By Tayeba Hussein, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News | USA TODAY Network
