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In a landmark settlement, a property owner, manager, and security company have agreed to pay $21 million to the family of Dimithry Remarais, who was murdered in the parking lot of his Lauderhill rental community, Windward Vista, on August 18, 2022. The settlement, finalized nearly two years after the tragic incident, aims to hold accountable those responsible for inadequate security measures at the property.
Dimithry Remarais, a dedicated father and loving uncle, had mailed gifts to his daughters just hours before his death. His sister, Isabella Lubin, described him as “hardworking” and “determined,” and expressed frustration that the property owner’s failure to ensure adequate security could have prevented the tragedy. “He came face to face with the criminals while they were stealing his car, which led to him being shot and killed,” Lubin said.
The Haggard Law Firm, representing Remarais’s family, uncovered a pattern of criminal incidents at Windward Vista, which had reportedly been entrusted to Excel Security. Attorneys Mike Haggard and Adam Finkel highlighted previous instances of crime at the property, suggesting that both the property management and security company had failed to take appropriate measures to safeguard tenants.
The settlement of $21 million was reached after a pre-suit demand for Excel Security’s $6 million policy limits and a $15 million settlement with the property owners and managers. The case saw intense legal strategies, including deposition testimony that revealed a former property manager’s view that Excel Security should have been terminated, leading to a situation where defendants’ interests were pitted against one another.
The family’s legal team hopes that this settlement will serve as a wake-up call for property owners and managers to prioritize tenant safety. “If we can just reach one property manager, if just one property owner sees this news coverage and adds security and learns a lesson from it, it’s all worth it,” said Haggard.
The settlement underscores the critical importance of security measures in rental communities and aims to encourage property owners and managers to assess and improve their security practices to prevent future tragedies.
