TEENAGER CHARGED WITH FATAL OAKLAND PARK BEATING
- BSO Case Number: OP09-04-00719 OP09-04-00710
- PIO Number: 09-10-15 (09-4-12)
- Date: 4/6/09
- Time: 1:20 a.m. Jurisdiction: Oakland Park
- Place of Occurrence: Dixie Highway, South of Oakland Park Boulevard, Oakland Park 800 block of East Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park
Victim(s):
- David Villanova, male, 27, 1/13/82, Pompano Beach
- Craig Cohen, male, 47, 12/19/61, Oakland Park (DECEASED)
Suspect(s):
- Chad Alexander Olah, male, 18, 10/1/91, 2640 Middle River Drive, Fort Lauderdale (IN CUSTODY)
- Victor Gonzalez, male, 21, 7/9/87, 4004 Eastridge Circle, Deerfield Beach (IN CUSTODY)
- Pargu Leandro, male, 25, 12/3/83, 4324 N.W. 9th Ave., #6-3C, Deerfield Beach (IN CUSTODY)
Description of Incident:
Broward Sheriff’s Office detectives have made a third arrest in the fatal beating of 47-year-old Craig Cohen, who was attacked on April 6 as he walked home from an Oakland Park diner. Chad Alexander Olah, who turned 18 this month, has been charged with felony first-degree murder and strong-armed robbery. Cohen died Oct. 7 after surviving in a Hospice facility for months. He never regained consciousness after the beating.
Shortly after 1:20 a.m. April 6, Cohen was walking home on Oakland Park Boulevard after a meal at the Peter Pan Diner. With his leftovers in hand, he was almost home when a group of men attacked him, beating him severely, stomping his head into the ground and leaving him bleeding on the sidewalk. They also stole his cell phone. About five minutes later, David Villanova was walking to a convenience store after leaving a local bar when he was attacked and beaten. His attackers kicked his head and fractured his skull. They stole his wallet with his identification and credit cards inside.
That night, a group of friends had been drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana at a house near the Peter Pan Diner. They talked about how it would be fun to rob and beat someone up. Intent on committing a violent crime, the group left the house on foot, presumably in search of victims.
“In the weeks following the attacks, there was some speculation as to whether they had been fueled by hate and perpetrated because the victims were both gay men. However, detectives have determined that the sexual orientation of the victims didn’t factor in when their attackers were planning or committing the crimes,” said Commander Rick Wierzbicki of BSO’s Hate Crimes Task Force. “Cohen and Villanova were innocent victims, chosen simply because they were alone and defenseless.”
On April 27, an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers of Broward County led investigators to the men who committed the attacks. After an extensive investigation by BSO’s aggravated felonies, robbery and homicide units, the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place. By interviewing people who knew the participants, detectives were able to link Victor Gonzalez and Pargu Leandro to both attacks.
BSO is working with the Broward County State Attorney’s Office to enhance the attempted murder charges against Gonzalez and Leandro to murder. Both are being held in the Broward County Jail on no bond.
- INVESTIGATORS: Dets. Kogan, Copley, Ventura, Cmdr. R. Wierzbicki, BSO Hate Crimes Task Force Oakland Park
- THIS REPORT BY: Dani Moschella/PIO 10/14/09 1230
Chad Olah - mug shot- Pargu Leandro - mug shot
- Victor Gonzalez - mug shot
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