Rene Esau Lopez Callejas Remembered After Fatal Port LaBelle Apartment Dispute Reported At Mira Verde Apartments On May 20, 2026
Rene Esau Lopez Callejas, 28, died Monday night after a reported dispute inside Mira Verde Apartments in Port LaBelle.
Hendry County deputies responded to the complex around 7:45 p.m. and found Callejas in a hallway, where emergency responders later pronounced Callejas deceased at the scene.
Authorities said 27-year-old Jose Armando Cruz stood outside the apartment after deputies arrived and surrendered without incident.
Investigators said a verbal disagreement between Cruz and Callejas preceded the fatal encounter, while detectives continue reviewing evidence and speaking with witnesses.
Cruz was booked into the Hendry County Jail on a homicide charge and remains held without bond, according to the report.
Residents around Mira Verde Apartments described the area as normally quiet, and the incident left neighbors and the wider Port LaBelle community deeply unsettled.
Family members and friends are mourning Callejas and remembering a life that ended suddenly, while memorial and funeral service details will be announced later by relatives.
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