Valentine's Day Murder in Ft. Myers

Valentine’s Day has long been observed as the day of love. Couples around the country go the extra mile to show their significant other how much they mean. It’s also a day when countless murders have occurred. In my opinion, murder on Valentine’s Day is more personal and sends a deeper message than murders committed on other days of the year.

The Valentine’s Day Murder of Heyzel Obando

A Valentine’s Day murder seems more personal than one committed on other days of the year.

“I’m sorry,” said Earl “Tony” Joiner to the 911 dispatcher as he described finding his girlfriend dead in their Ft. Myers apartment. Operators and later police found the apology strange. It was Valentine’s Day, 2016, around 5:30 p.m. when Joiner made the call. Authorities arrived a short time later, finding him giving chest compressions to his obviously deceased girlfriend, 26-year-old Heyzel Obando.

Police found it strange, since Heyzel was cold to the touch and had been dead for some time. They noted that Joiner appeared calm and emotionless. He never asked questions about his girlfriend’s murder, information that most any loving boyfriend would want to know.

An autopsy determined Heyzel died from a gunshot wound to her head.

Speaking to authorities, Joiner said he and his children had been out of town visiting family in Winter Haven. He found Heyzel bleeding and responsive upon returning to the apartments a short time before he called 9-1-1.

Joiner had played college football with the Florida Gators, alongside Aaron Hernandez.​

Joiner Goes Free​

Due to his odd behavior and inconsistencies in his story, the police did not believe Joiner.

​For example, the children were sitting in the car when they arrived. Joiner claimed the youngest child had fallen asleep, and he planned to go back to get them.

The following day, police spoke to the children at the station. The 3-year-old girl said “poppy shoted mommy” and that she saw “Mommy blood.”

Police suspected Joiner had killed Heyzel in front of at least one of the children. Without evidence to prove it, their hands were tied. Joiner walked free and continued to live his life.

Cold Justice Finds New Evidence, Joiner Charged With Murder​

Three years passed. Detectives continued investigating Heyzel’s murder, yet lead after lead went cold. In 2019, the Oxygen TV series Cold Justice took on the case. During the two-month investigation, new evidence was discovered which proved Joiner had killed his girlfriend.

Presented with the new evidence, Joiner admitted that he killed Heyzel.​

On June 8, 2019, Joiner was arrested on second-degree murder charges. He pleaded no-contest in June 2023 and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. He cannot have any contact with his children or the Obanda family. The children were placed in the care and custody of Heyzel's mother.

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Sources:

https://www.fox4now.com/news/local-news/boyfriend-arrested-in-2016-cold-case-murder-of-fort-myers-mother

https://people.com/ex-florida-gators-star-murdered-girlfriend-valentines-day-2016-true-crime-show-7508677

https://www.oxygen.com/cold-justice/crime-news/earl-joiner-guilty-heyzel-obando-murder-case-cold-justice

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