Whycliff Longin is accused of killing one woman and attacking another before deputies arrested him at a Haviland Avenue South duplex.
LEHIGH ACRES, FL — A 28-year-old man faces second-degree murder and other felony charges after Lee County deputies responding to an early-morning call found one woman dead and another woman reported escaping an attack at a Lehigh Acres duplex, authorities said.
Whycliff Longin was arrested after deputies responded about 2:54 a.m. Aug. 27 to a duplex on Haviland Avenue South, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators said a woman told deputies she awoke to Longin attacking and strangling her. She was able to break free, barricade herself inside a room and call 911. Deputies later found a second woman dead in the neighboring residence, turning the emergency response into a homicide investigation.
The Sheriff’s Office said deputies located Longin after he fled into the adjoining side of the duplex. Officers surrounded the area and took him into custody. During a safety sweep of that residence, deputies found the second woman dead inside a bedroom. Authorities said she had signs of blunt-force trauma, and the District 21 Medical Examiner later ruled her death a homicide.
The dead woman was identified by her family to local news outlets as Amadette Longin. Authorities have not publicly released a detailed account of what led to her death or disclosed a motive. The Sheriff’s Office has described the case as involving domestic violence, but investigators have not publicly explained all of the relationships among the people involved.
Sheriff Carmine Marceno announced Friday that Longin had been charged with second-degree murder, attempted murder, sexual battery and occupied burglary with a battery. The charges are allegations, and a finding of probable cause does not determine guilt. Investigators have said forensic work connected to the case remains part of the investigation.
The surviving woman told investigators she awoke with Longin on top of her and was being strangled, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Authorities said she managed to escape his grasp and secure herself inside a room before calling for help. The Sheriff’s Office has not publicly identified her, and details about any injuries she suffered have not been fully released.
Longin made his first court appearance virtually Saturday, Aug. 29. He required a Creole interpreter and waived a formal reading of the charges. Judge Andrew Marcus found probable cause for all four counts, according to local reporting from the proceeding. Prosecutors also filed a motion seeking to keep Longin jailed while the criminal case moves forward.
The Sheriff’s Office said Longin is from Haiti and is in the United States seeking asylum. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed an immigration detainer on him after his arrest, according to the agency. The immigration matter is separate from the criminal prosecution in Lee County and does not establish guilt in the state case.
Longin remained in the Lee County Jail as the case proceeded following his first appearance. Authorities have not announced a trial date or publicly disclosed a motive. The murder, attempted murder, sexual battery and burglary allegations remain pending in court.
Author note: Last updated August 30, 2026.