A shocking event unfolded on the morning of June 7, 2024 as a woman and her young son were killed in a suspected murder-suicide at a Chase Bank drive-thru in southwest Miami-Dade, Florida. The suspected perpetrator also died by suicide.
The incident took place around 7:30 a.m. at the intersection of Bird Road and 152nd Avenue. Miami-Dade Police Detective Luis Sierra stated that a sergeant patrolling the area responded to the sound of gunfire and arrived at the scene.
According to Detective Sierra, the woman and her young son were in a minivan at the bank’s ATM when an SUV pulled up alongside them. The man in the SUV opened fire, causing the deaths of the woman and child, and subsequently took his own life.
The victims were later identified as Odalys Bancroft, 43, and her son, Theodore Couto, who was nearing his fifth birthday. Authorities identified the shooter as Michael Andres Pineda Lozano, Bancroft’s former boyfriend, who was found deceased at the scene.
The incident has rocked the local community. Bancroft’s brother, Michael Trujillo, shared his disbelief: “Never in a million years would I expect anything like this to happen.” He added, “I can’t fathom any circumstances that would lead a normal person to commit such an act against a woman and her child. They were in the process of breaking up, but I never noticed any indications of fear that something like this could happen.”
Bancroft held a significant position at the Jackson Health System as the director of regulatory affairs, where she had been employed since 2015. She started her career as a clinical staff nurse and later assumed leadership roles at Holtz Children’s Hospital. In a statement, Jackson Health System CEO and President Carlos A. Migoya said, “Odalys was profoundly committed to our mission and was always proud to represent Jackson. Her contributions have left a lasting impact, making Jackson a better place.”
Young Theodore, also known as Teddy, had just graduated from Pre-K-4 and was due to celebrate his fifth birthday the following month. Reflecting on his nephew, Trujillo said, “Everywhere that he was, it was always just a happier place with him around.”
Footage from the incident showed a silver BMW SUV parked next to a dark-colored minivan at the bank’s ATM, both vehicles cordoned off with yellow crime scene tape. The sight of a child’s car seat in the minivan underscored the gravity of the situation.
Family members were at the scene, speaking with police and visibly distraught. Teddy’s father was also present on Friday, visibly distressed as he was consoled by police officers.
This alarming event adds to a growing trend of murder-suicides in the Miami-Dade area. In the week preceding this incident, two other potential murder-suicide cases were reported. On June 6, a shooting in Coral Gables, Florida resulted in the deaths of a man and a woman, with the woman’s son hospitalized. On June 2, a man in southwest Miami-Dade allegedly killed his elderly parents and partner before dying by suicide.