18 Suspects In Jovenel Moise Killing Flown To US As Haiti Case Moves To Florida
Eighteen suspects accused of involvement in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise have been extradited from Haiti to the United States, where they will face trial in Florida. The suspects were flown from Port-au-Prince on a US military aircraft on Sunday, marking a major new phase in the long-running case.
The transfer comes after years of delays in Haiti, where gang violence, threats against judges and the deteriorating judicial system repeatedly stalled proceedings. Haiti's Justice Ministry said it surrendered the suspects to allow their trials to proceed, citing the significant difficulties facing the country's judicial process.
US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Jason Reding Quiñones said the extradition marked another phase in efforts to establish accountability for Moise's assassination. He said US authorities would continue following evidence involving those who allegedly financed, facilitated, supported or carried out the plot.
The 18 suspects include 17 former Colombian soldiers and Joseph Badio, a former Haitian Ministry of Justice employee who had worked with an anti-corruption unit. Badio, who was arrested in October 2023 after more than two years on the run, has been described by US defence attorneys as a key figure in the alleged plot. Authorities have said some suspects initially envisioned a coup rather than an assassination.
Moise, 53, was shot dead at his private residence in Port-au-Prince on July 7, 2021. His wife, Martine Moise, was also injured in the attack. The killing plunged Haiti into deeper political instability and was followed by a prolonged breakdown in efforts to prosecute those accused of involvement.
US authorities have indicted 30 people in connection with the assassination. In May 2026, a federal jury in Miami convicted four men, Arcangel Pretel Ortiz, Antonio Intriago, Walter Veintemilla and James Solages over their roles in the plot. All four had pleaded not guilty and face life in prison. At least five other defendants have pleaded guilty and are serving life sentences.
The US case has focused partly on an alleged plan to replace Moise after his removal. Prosecutors said Christian Sanon, a Haitian-American citizen, was initially selected by alleged conspirators to become Haiti's leader and award contracts for infrastructure, security and military equipment.
Meanwhile, Haiti's investigation has struggled to advance. A local appeals court ordered another inquiry in 2025, the third such investigation, after earlier proceedings were disrupted by judges resigning over security fears and gangs taking control of the courthouse in downtown Port-au-Prince.
The extradition leaves the US courts handling a growing portion of the case, while several key suspects remain at large. Authorities have identified former National Palace security chief Dimitri Hérard as one of the fugitives.
The latest transfer underscores the international nature of a case that has remained unresolved more than five years after Moise's killing, with US prosecutors continuing to pursue additional suspects and alleged organisers.