Rudy Eugene

Background

Rudy Eugene was born on February 4, 1981 at the Jackson Memorial Hospital. He was of Haitian descent through his immigrant parents who divorced months after his birth. Eugene never made contact with his father, who died when he was six. He attended the Bethel Evangelical Baptist Church with his families on most Sundays.

Eugene attended North Miami Beach High School in the 10th and 11th grades, and he played on its football team in the late 1990s. At the age of 17, he transferred to North Miami High School. After graduating, Eugene acquired money from such sources as selling CDs and jobs at McDonald’s and in telemarketing. His last recorded employment was washing cars at a local automobile dealership. Eugene had expressed interest in establishing his own mobile car wash business.

Eugene’s marriage to Jenny Ductant, from 2005 to 2008, ended in divorce, with Ductant reporting that there had been domestic violence in the relationship. The divorce was granted on January 8, 2008. They had no children from their relationship. Eugene then became estranged from Ductant until his death. Between his divorce proceedings, he met Rikkia Cross in 2007, with whom he remained until his death.

Ronald Edward Poppo was born on May 17, 1947. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and after achieving an IQ score of 129, attended Manhattan's prestigious Stuyvesant High School where he was a member of the Latin Club and worked in the guidance office. A former classmate reported that, after high school, Poppo enrolled at nearby City College but he dropped out in late 1966. Poppo would become homeless in early 1976.

On May 24, 2012, two days before the attack, workers from the Miami Homeless Assistance Program discovered him and offered him the services of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust. Poppo declined assistance, however. At the time of the attack, Poppo's family, including a daughter named Janice Poppo DiBello (born 1968) had not heard from him in over 30 years. During that time, they assumed that Poppo was dead and suspected that he had killed himself. They were shocked to learn he was still alive at the time of the incident.

The offence

On May 26, 2012, Rudy Eugene assaulted Ronald Poppo on the MacArthur Causeway in Miami, Florida.

During an 18-minute filmed encounter, Eugene (who was himself stripped nude) accused Poppo of stealing his Bible, beat him unconscious, removed Poppo's pants, and bit off most of Poppo's face above the beard, including his left eye, leaving him blind in both. Poppo was later admitted to Jackson Memorial Hospital with 75–80% of his face above the beard missing, and his left eye gouged out in the attack. Eugene’s attack ended when he was fatally shot by a Miami police officer.

Eugene had driven to Miami Beach to Urban Beach Week on the morning of May 26, 2012. His flag-draped purple Chevrolet Caprice eventually became disabled. After spending 30–40 minutes filmed on security video in and around the car, Eugene abandoned it about noon and began to cross the three-mile long span of the MacArthur Causeway, stripping himself of his clothing and disposing of his driver’s license as he advanced westward. His vehicle was eventually discovered and towed by Miami Beach police. Inside the car, police discovered a bible and five empty water bottles, which they believe were recently consumed. Eugene, eventually completely naked, having discarded even his shoes and lastly his Bible at the crime scene, encountered Poppo at approximately 1:55 pm.

Poppo had been lying underneath an elevated Metromover railway when Eugene began to pummel him, strip him of his pants, and bite his face. The attack unfolded at the west end of the MacArthur Causeway, near the headquarters of The Miami Herald in the Omni neighborhood of Downtown Miami. It was at first believed that neither Eugene nor Poppo knew the other before their encounter, until a July 2012 publication revealed that Eugene had met Poppo while working for the homeless community of Miami.

A passing cyclist, Larry Vega, came upon the scene and alerted authorities via 9-1-1. A few minutes later, Miami Police Department officer Jose Ramirez arrived and, after doing a double take at the spectacle, warned Eugene to desist from attacking Poppo. Eugene ignored the officer's warnings and, instead, reportedly growled at him, then resumed biting his victim. The attack ended at 2:13 PM with Officer Ramirez shooting Eugene once at first and then another four times when that proved ineffective. The ordeal had been captured by a security camera on The Miami Herald building, and the surveillance video showed that the attack continued for 18 minutes before help arrived.

Investigation

Inconclusive investigation followed the assault.

Although the autopsy revealed no human flesh in Eugene's stomach, a number of undigested pills were discovered that had not yet been identified. Police sources had speculated that the street drug "bath salts" might have been involved, and preliminary toxicology reports were positive only for the presence of marijuana. Authorities have not necessarily found the negative results conclusive; Broward Sheriff Al Lamberti expressed a belief that some new drug not yet tested for played a role. Nationally noted toxicologist Barry Logan said Eugene's behavior was consistent with "bath salts" and that toxicologists "are not testing for everything that may be out there". The director of toxicology at the University of Florida, Dr. Bruce Goldberger, said: "We are not incompetent...We have the tools, we have the sophistication and know-how. But the field is evolving so rapidly it is hard for us to keep track. It's almost as if it is a race we can never win."

Arrest

No arrest was described in the provided material. The attack ended with Eugene being shot dead by police.

Timeline

• February 4, 1981 — Rudy Eugene was born at the Jackson Memorial Hospital.
• January 8, 2008 — Eugene’s divorce from Jenny Ductant was granted.
• May 24, 2012 — Workers from the Miami Homeless Assistance Program discovered Ronald Poppo and offered services of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust; Poppo declined assistance.
• May 26, 2012 (morning) — Eugene drove to Miami Beach for Urban Beach Week; his Chevrolet Caprice later became disabled.
• May 26, 2012 (about noon) — Eugene abandoned the disabled vehicle and began crossing the MacArthur Causeway, stripping himself and discarding his driver’s license.
• May 26, 2012 (approximately 1:55 pm) — Eugene encountered Ronald Poppo.
• May 26, 2012 (1:54 pm on video timestamp) — The video timestamp began at 13:54 — 1:54 p.m.
• May 26, 2012 (13:54:49) — Eugene, later identified as Rudy Eugene, staggered up to Ronald Poppo on the walkway.
• May 26, 2012 (13:54:56) — The encounter started.
• May 26, 2012 (13:57:22) — Eugene got up and moved; the victim was rolled down the walkway and the attacker continued pulling and kicking for several seconds.
• May 26, 2012 (13:57:47) — Eugene stood over Poppo and straddled the victim’s head; he started punching the victim.
• May 26, 2012 (13:58:23) — Eugene shifted Poppo’s position and leaned into him with his face for several minutes.
• May 26, 2012 (13:59:37) — Eugene dragged Poppo further down the walkway, dropped him, and tugged at the victim’s legs.
• May 26, 2012 (14:03:19) — A second bicyclist rode by, slowing down; a white car passed and slowed down; the bicyclist then returned.
• May 26, 2012 (14:10:56) — A third person with a bicycle walked by; he later rode away.
• May 26, 2012 (14:11:28) — A police car moved toward the attack scene but in the wrong direction.
• May 26, 2012 (14:11:58) — The police car made a U-turn and moved toward the attack scene.
• May 26, 2012 (14:13:13) — The police car arrived on the scene on the offramp; an officer got out and walked around on the side of his car.
• May 26, 2012 (14:13:27) — The officer drew his gun; the view of the shooting was blocked by the Metromover track.
• May 26, 2012 (14:14:28) — More police cars arrived.
• May 26, 2012 (14:15:20) — The security camera zoomed in on the attack scene.
• May 26, 2012 (14:16:16) — The victim moved his legs.
• May 26, 2012 (14:19:44) — The victim sat up; his hands and legs were covered in blood; he was naked from the waist down; there was no movement from the attacker’s legs.
• May 26, 2012 (14:22:50) — Three paramedics appeared and hopped over the concrete barrier with a stretcher.
• May 26, 2012 (14:23:40) — Paramedics dragged Poppo onto the stretcher.
• May 26, 2012 (14:24:07) — The victim moved his arms and touched his head.
• May 26, 2012 (14:24:23) — Paramedics unfolded a neck brace and put it on Poppo.
• May 26, 2012 (2:13 PM) — Officer Jose Ramirez shot Eugene once at first and then another four times when that proved ineffective.
• July 14, 2012 — A July 2012 publication revealed that Eugene had met Poppo while working for the homeless community of Miami.
• July 17, 2012 — A fund had collected $100,700 since July 17, 2012.
• July 19, 2012 — Poppo spoke to police and thanked them for saving his life.

Arrest / Trial / Sentencing / Appeals / Outcome

No trial, sentencing, or appeals were described in the provided material.

Aftermath

Poppo, age 65, was admitted to Jackson Memorial Hospital, critically injured, with 75–80% of his face above the beard missing and his left eye gouged out in the attack. He underwent facial reconstruction surgeries that took months to complete and remained permanently disfigured and blind.

To combat the costs, a fund was set up and has collected $100,700 since July 17, 2012. Poppo, who lost sight in both his eyes, spoke to police on July 19, thanking them for saving his life. He explained that Eugene, whom he hardly knew, approached him in a friendly manner but then complained he couldn't "score" at the beach and "souped up on something", started talk about how they were going to die, accused Poppo of stealing his bible, and, suddenly and without provocation, attacked and strangled him with wrestling holds, and then "plucked out" both his eyes.

Other details

People who reported or witnessed the incident

Larry Vega alerted authorities via 9-1-1 after encountering the scene.

Erica Smith described Eugene as having been sweet and well-mannered and said: "He wasn’t homeless. He had a place to stay. He had a car, and he worked," and: "He had his ups and downs, but he was not an aggressive person. He was really sweet and giving." She also said: "He did smoke, I’m not going to lie about that," and: "Someone must have given him something really bad. A few days ago he told my brother that he was really depressed and didn’t want to live anymore. He was a guy who just wanted a family and someone to love him."

Daniel Ruiz said: "He was always looking for ways to make money. Not necessarily illegal, but sometimes he got in trouble with it," and: "But for Rudy to do something that graphic, that aggressive, that violent, that gruesome — that’s what’s really troubling us. Rudy? Really? Rudy? Naw." He also said Eugene liked to freestyle rap and listen to music: "He had his little problems, but nothing too dramatic," and: "He was sane."

Victoria Forte said: "Rudy was not a face-eating zombie monster," and: "The Rudy we know was a nice gentleman with a warm smile, and funny."

Cassandra Metayer said: "This is not his character," and: "This type of behavior is very unexpected. He was a good person, a true friend. He was a nice, outgoing ready-to-help-anybody kind of guy. I’m not just saying that; he really was that person."

Emory Robert Spencer said: "I called him Kenny Rogers," and described last seeing Poppo having dinner Friday at the Miami Rescue Mission.

A man leaving supper at the Miami Rescue Mission identified himself only as Rafael and said: "He never bothered nobody,’’ said Rafael, exactly what Emory Spencer had to say.

Another man staying in a utility trailer on Watson Island said Poppo generally stayed on the north side of Jungle Island, near a public restroom building west of the Miami Outboard Club.

Girlfriend statements and background

Eugene’s girlfriend said that Eugene held his Bible and kissed her goodbye on the Saturday morning before the attack. She stated she woke him at 5:30 a.m. to say he was going to meet with a “homeboy.” She said she found it strange he was rummaging the closet so early in morning, and she said Eugene planted a kiss and said, "I love you." She stated he left the central Broward apartment she shared with him, and she said: "I told him be safe and I love you too. When he walked out the door I closed it, locked it and went back to sleep." She said: "I was worried. I couldn’t do anything. I just kept calling the phone," and: "I left messages saying, ‘Rudy, call me, I’m really worried.’" She also said: "I don’t know when I hung up the phone, I was hysterical." She stated she remembered saying: "That’s not Rudy, that’s not Rudy," and: "I’ll never be the same."

Her theory included being drugged unknowingly and said: "I don’t know how else to explain this," and: "I don’t want him to be labeled the Miami Zombie," and: "He was a person. I don’t want him to go down like that." She also said: "He was sweet and well-mannered, she said." She believed Eugene had never been violent around her.

She said that Eugene carried his Bible and read from it at home, and she said: "If someone was lost or didn’t know God, he would tell them about him,’’ and: "He was a believer of God." She said: "He cried often, she said." She also said: "He was a guy who just wanted a family and someone to love him."

Prior domestic dispute and threats

In 2004, records described Eugene threatening his mother and smashing furniture during a domestic dispute. The police report said Eugene “took a fighting stand, balled his hands into a fist” and threatened one of the officers who responded. It said police had to use a Taser to subdue him. Eugene’s mother Ruth told officers: "I’ll put a gun to your head and kill you." She also said: "Thank God you’re here, he would have killed me," according to the police report.

Ruth Charles told officers: "I’m his first love...he’s a nice kid...he was not a delinquent," and she said: "Everybody says that he was a zombie, but I know he’s not a zombie; he’s my son," and: "I don’t know what they injected in him to turn him into the person who did what he did," while making the motion of someone putting a syringe into the crook of her arm.

Friends’ accounts of job and behavior

A friend since they were teenagers, Joe Aurelus, said Eugene told him he wanted to stop smoking pot and friends were texting Eugene Bible verses. Aurelus said: "I was just with him two weeks ago," and described seeing Eugene with a Bible in his hand: "He was going through a lot with his family," and: "Rudy was battling the devil."

Criminal history

Eugene was arrested eight times from the age of 16, with the first arrest being for an assault in 1997. Another assault occurred on February 25, 2004, when Eugene broke a table, smashed items around the house, and pushed his mother out of the kitchen. Afterward, Eugene's mother Ruth told officers that he had said, "I'll put a gun to your head and kill you." This crime led to his serving probation for resisting an officer without violence. The remaining charges were mainly related to marijuana, which he had expressed a desire to quit. His last arrest was in September 2009.

A court records account described one arrest being for misdemeanor battery, one for vending near a school, one for trespassing, and four involving marijuana. It also stated that in January, the charge was dropped, and that he was arrested by Miami Beach police on a battery charge when he was 16 but the case was dropped.

Poppo’s criminal history and treatment history

Poppo had a record showing at least 24 arrests dating back to 1978. Most of his arrests were for drinking in public and trespassing, and he also had felony cases for burglary, assault and resisting arrest. In 1983, he was arrested for sleeping in public. Court records also showed that Poppo was treated for a gunshot wound at Jackson Memorial Hospital in January 1976. He listed his address at the time as a Salvation Army facility on Flagler Street. His last mug shot showed him with a white beard and the tanned face of a man who spent a lot of time on the streets.

Poppo lived for a time in the 1980s in New Orleans.