St. Pete Couple Arrested in Miami-Dade After Allegedly Slaying Boss

Pinellas County deputies say a St. Petersburg man and woman murdered the man for whom they both worked, then attempted to evade justice in South Florida.

According to investigators, Jaritza Maribel Diaz and Christopher Lee Robertson II were hiding in a Homestead hotel when law enforcement caught up with them last week. The duo are suspected of killing their boss and owner of a local machine shop Christopher Dykes.

Police say they were called to the machine shop in late August when an employee could not gain access to the building and was unable to find the 54-year-old Dykes. Upon forcing open a door, deputies say they found Dykes’ body within.

A subsequent investigation by the Sheriff’s Office determined that the 24-year-old Diaz once briefly worked for Dykes. She and the 34-year-old Robertson were soon named suspects by investigators.

Miami-Dade police say they found the pair in a local hotel and, with the assistance of Pinellas deputies, apprehended the pair. Miami-Dade investigators allegedly discovered evidence tying the couple to Dykes’ murder, but no more specific information was given out at the time.

Robertson is being held in Miami-Dade on charges of aggravated assault on law enforcement and possession of drug paraphernalia. First-degree murder charges await him in Pinellas County, according to authorities there.

New York native Diaz has already been transported to Pinellas County where she is being held without bond on charges of first-degree murder and grand theft of a motor vehicle.

The Law Offices of Bjorn Brunvand have been representing people charged with capital murder, felony drug charges, drunk driving, government fraud, and white-collar crimes for over a quarter century. Contact our office today to discuss your Tampa Bay-area state or federal charges.