Today, State Attorney Amira Fox convened the Lee County Grand Jury and they returned an indictment against Christopher Eddie Perez for the 2015 murder of Lehigh Acres resident,
Hemchand Bhagwandin. Perez was indicted for First Degree Felony Murder and Armed Burglary.
The State Attorney’s Office Cold Case Homicide Unit and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, led by Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno, have worked extensively on this case which resulted in an arrest and today’s indictment.
The crime happened on the night of March 15, 2015. Perez broke into a Lehigh Acres home, along with other perpetrators, who were masked and brandishing firearms. The couple who lived there were held at gunpoint as the perpetrators demanded money and gold.
The victims were then separated into different rooms, bound with zip ties, and beaten with both fists and guns. Mr. Bhagwandin had a heart attack during the brutal beating and died of cardiac arrest and blunt force trauma. Since the victim died during the commission of a burglary, Perez faced the murder charge.
“I hope today’s indictment is the first step towards justice for the victim and his family. The State Attorney’s Office Cold Case Homicide Unit and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office continue to actively investigate this case,” said State Attorney Fox.
The State Attorney’s Office Cold Case Homicide Unit, formed by State Attorney Fox when she took office in January 2019, is comprised of experienced homicide prosecutors and investigators. They work closely with other law enforcement agencies to review evidence and develop new leads in unsolved homicides.
Samantha Syoen – Communications Director, State Attorney’s Office