Authorities say one woman escaped an alleged strangling before deputies found another woman dead in the adjoining duplex residence.
LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. — An early-morning 911 call from a woman who said she escaped being strangled led Lee County deputies to a duplex where they arrested a suspect and found another woman dead, setting off a homicide investigation that reached court Saturday.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded about 2:54 a.m. Thursday to the 2900 block of Haviland Avenue South after a report of a domestic disturbance. The surviving woman told investigators that she had awakened to find a man later identified as 28-year-old Whycliff Longin attacking her in bed.
Investigators said the woman was eventually able to break free and barricade herself before calling 911. As deputies arrived, authorities said Longin went into the neighboring side of the duplex. Deputies surrounded the area and took him into custody shortly afterward.
What began as a response to one woman’s emergency call then became a homicide investigation. During a safety sweep of the adjoining residence, deputies found a second woman dead inside. Her family identified her as Amadette Longin. Authorities have described the broader investigation as a domestic violence case but have not publicly released every detail about the relationships among those involved.
Sheriff Carmine Marceno announced the arrest Friday, a day after deputies responded to the duplex. Longin was accused of homicide, attempted homicide, sexual battery and burglary with a battery. Those charges are allegations, and Longin is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The investigation moved into court Saturday morning when Longin made his first appearance virtually before Judge Andrew Marcus. Longin needed a Creole interpreter and waived the reading of the charges. Marcus found probable cause for all four counts, allowing the case to proceed through the state court system.
Prosecutors filed a motion asking that Longin remain jailed before trial. The request adds another legal question to a case that developed quickly from the initial emergency response, but a probable cause determination does not establish guilt. The evidence and the prosecution’s allegations remain subject to later hearings and other court proceedings.
The Sheriff’s Office also said Longin is from Haiti and came to the United States seeking asylum. Marceno said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed an immigration detainer on him after his arrest. That federal matter is separate from the Lee County prosecution and does not determine the outcome of the criminal allegations.
Saturday’s proceeding also included an acknowledgment by the court of a filing concerning Longin’s constitutional rights. The issue was expected to be addressed further at a later date. Authorities have not announced a final resolution of the criminal case, and Longin remains in the court process following his first appearance.
Author note: Last updated Aug. 29, 2026.