‘My son wore his badge with pride.’ Farewell to a deputy at Miami funeral

Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Deputy Devin Jaramillo was honored by thousands of colleagues on Tuesday — as well as dignitaries, including Gov. Ron DeSantis — during a service at loanDepot Park, less than two weeks after he was gunned down in the line of duty near Kendall.

The sound of bagpipes and drums echoed through the stadium, home to the Miami Marlins, as funeral services for the 27-year-old Jaramillo began.

“My son wore his badge with pride,” his heartbroken mother, Yolanda Jaramillo, said through tears, adding that her son made the family proud every day. She said Devin had a wonderful sense of humor and a laugh that could fill even the largest room. “I will miss him every day for the rest of my life, but his story will live on,” Yolanda Jaramillo said.

The ceremony began with members of various law enforcement agencies standing in silence as the musicians made their way in. Flashing lights from the motorcade illuminated the stadium while the hearse carrying Jaramillo followed. A group of his loved ones walked in afterward, accompanied by the steady flow of music. Jaramillo’s flag-draped coffin was then carried out and placed on the field.

Coral Gables Police Officer Christian Ochoa sang the national anthem.

Coral Gables Officer Melenni Alzate said during the service that there are people you meet in law enforcement who change you forever, and for her, that person was Jaramillo. Jaramillo served as a Coral Gables officer before joining the sheriff’s office.

Alzate spoke of her friend and former partner with deep admiration. Alzate recalled how Jaramillo loved being the class clown during their time in the police academy and how he could change the energy of a room simply by walking in.

“We started this journey side by side,” Alzate said. She described Jaramillo as the kind of person who reminded his fellow officers why they serve. Alzate explained that he left the Coral Gables Police Department to follow in his father’s footsteps — his hero and the person he admired most. His father, David Jaramillo, is a retired Miami-Dade Police detective.

If she had to choose just one word to describe Jaramillo, Alzate said it would be “fearless.”

Jaramillo was killed Friday, Nov. 7, by 21-year-old Steven Rustrian after what began as a routine traffic stop involving a minor car crash. The two men got into an altercation, and Rustrian was able to grab Jaramillo’s service handgun and use it to shoot the young deputy several times.

READ MORE: ‘A son, a brother and a friend.’ Miami-Dade Deputy Devin Jaramillo is fatally shot

Rustrian got into his car and fatally shot himself.

The Rev. Luis Rivero, who prayed over Jaramillo’s family and his law-enforcement colleagues during Tuesday’s ceremony, asked that Jaramillo’s death not be in vain.

Devin’s father said his son had an old soul who was “honorable” and “loyal.” “He stood against injustice,” the elder Jaramillo said, explaining that Devin protected those who could not protect themselves and was called to serve others.

He said his son’s acts of kindness and courage were just small fragments of his true character. David Jaramillo told the crowd that his son will always be in his heart and that he hopes others in uniform will be as brave as Devin was.

“The badge that you wear is not just a job, it’s a way of life,” he said, reminding the law enforcement officers that although his son’s end of watch was on Nov. 7, “they still hold the spear.”

“You will always be my protector,” he said of his son. “I will carry you in my heart for the rest of my days.”

Jaramillo’s siblings — Isabella, Dylan and Emma — said that beyond the badge, Devin was their big brother, guiding and protecting them.

The day of the shooting, Jaramillo was assigned to the Kendall District Station. He was the only deputy who responded to the crash, which is part of standard policy for collisions with minor damage, the sheriff’s office said.

After crashing the car, Rustrian drove away from the scene to a nearby parking lot, switching seats with a passenger, investigators say.

Jaramillo spoke with that man who initially said he was the driver, but then admitted Rustrian was behind the wheel. That’s when the fight happened between Jaramillo and Rustrian.

Jaramillo tried to subdue Rustrian as the two struggled on the ground. A video provided to the Miami Herald shows Rustrian grab Jaramillo’s gun during the fight.

Miami Herald news partner CBS News Miami has reported Jaramillo was shot at least seven times.

Jaramillo started his law enforcement career with the Coral Gables Police Department, serving there for four years before joining the sheriff’s office about a year and a half ago.

He graduated from Miami Killian High School and the University of Central Florida. He comes from a law enforcement family. Jaramillo’s father, in addition to being a retired Miami-Dade police detective, was president of the Hispanic Police Officer’s Association. The sheriff’s office called Jaramillo a “legacy kid” who was well-respected among the agency’s ranks.

READ MORE: Loved ones gather for final farewell to fallen Miami Beach Officer David Cajuso

Played dominoes as a child with officers

Jaramillo’s uncle, Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Carlos Arguelles, said that even as a child, the family always knew Jaramillo was special.

“He naturally gravitated toward the adults,” Arguelles said of his nephew as a young boy. Arguelles told the crowd that when Devin was about 9, he began joining a Wednesday night domino club made up mostly of law enforcement officers.

Before long, Arguelles said, Devin was beating the veteran players around him and listening to their stories. Arguelles described Jaramillo as the protector of his family, someone who always greeted his uncle with a hug and a kiss. “When Devin gave you a hug, you felt it immensely,” Arguelles said.

Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz painted the portrait of a devoted son, brother, uncle and friend. Jaramillo cherished his black-and-white cat, Chloe, who greeted him after long shift, she said. He found joy in motorcycles and treasured rides to the Keys with his father and stopping for their ritual cafecito at La Carreta. Jaramillo had his coffee strong, bitter and with no sugar. His mother, Yolanda, described him as having “a good heart,” Cordero-Strutz said. He loved her picadillo and fricasé de pollo so much that he cooked it in his college dorm, filling the room with “the smell of home.” He adored his siblings and his young niece, whose smile “melted him.”

Strong work ethic

Jaramillo was also known for his work ethic. He excelled in auto-theft investigations and never shied away from long hours. “He never complained. He filled shifts, he sacrificed days off, and he always stepped forward,” the sheriff recounted. His sergeant, she noted, often said “Devin was his favorite.” Even after a crash that left him with a concussion, Jaramillo was eager to return to duty. Major Lonny Allen visited him in the hospital, and “even while being evaluated, Devin insisted he was fine and wanted to get back on the street immediately.” “That was Devin,” Cordero-Stutz said — a deputy defined by integrity, sacrifice and unwavering commitment to others, she said.

Tuesday’s funeral was the second time in two months a South Florida police agency laid one of its own to rest after an on-duty death.

On Oct. 28, Miami Beach Police Department Sgt. David Cajuso was killed after crashing his work-issued motorcycle on the Interstate 75 extension near Hialeah.

Cajuso, 33, was a 10-year veteran on the department, leaving behind a wife and three young children, ages 2, 3 and 5.

This story was originally published November 18, 2025 at 9:26 AM.