‘That’s a tragedy’: Couple married for almost 60 years killed in Broward home invasion
Tonya Mitchell was 12 years old when her family moved to a home in Fort Lauderdale more than 50 years ago.
The neighborhood was where Mitchell and her four siblings were raised, where they would frequently visit later as adults and where five decades of memories were made.
She remembers growing up with the family inviting neighbors for holiday barbecues in Miami Beach. They would leave in the early morning hours to set up and enjoy a day in the sun.
“You couldn’t ask for a better mother or father,” Mitchell, now 65, told the Miami Herald.
On Friday night, police found Mitchell’s parents Claudette Melvin, 85, and Major Melvin, 89, shot to death in that same Melrose Manors neighborhood — in a house on the 600 block of Southwest 30th Terrace.
Claudette and Major, who had been married for close to 60 years, were already dead when officers arrived.
Mitchell told Local 10 she believes the shooter entered the home through their unlocked front door. Major, who was on the couch, was fatally struck as he tried to get up. Claudette was shot in the chest while rushing into the kitchen.
Shell casings were found scattered on the scene, Mitchell told Local 10. Nothing appeared to be missing inside the residence.
Officers, however, quickly realized that the couple’s car had been stolen, according to Fort Lauderdale police. Detectives believe someone — perhaps the same person who killed them — may have taken the Melvins’ car.
The couple owned a red 2014 Ford Fusion with a Florida tag number of LTDQ16, police say. Photos of the car indicate that it had a scratch on the left side and a dent on the bumper.
‘Two peas in a pod’
The Melvins were inseparable, Mitchell recalled. When her mother Claudette would visit her in North Carolina, she would fly in and stay for weeks. But when it was time to go home, Claudette didn’t want a return ticket.
She wanted her husband Major to come pick her up. And nearing 90, Major would make the 11-hour drive drive from South Florida.
“They were a pair,” Mitchell said. “Never been away from one another. They were like two peas in a pod.”
Despite moving out of state more than a decade ago, Mitchell always headed back to her parents’ Fort Lauderdale house for holidays. She said she was at their house so often that they poked fun at her.
“You sure you live in North Carolina?” she recalled them quipping.
The duo was the oldest couple in the neighborhood, known as joyful, good-hearted people, Mitchell said. Major was especially outgoing and kept himself busy, even planting trees in the community.
The Melvins enjoyed traveling to New Orleans for balls — and loved to dance, she said.
“I have so many good memories,” Mitchell told the Miami Herald. “I don’t want to think about what happened to them... They way they went out, that’s a tragedy.”
Seeking answers, Mitchell urged anyone who knows something about the murders — even if it may be minor — to come forward. Anyone with information should contact Det. Almanzar 954-828-5546, Det. Swisher 954-828-4007 or Det. Sgt. Geiger at 954-828-6958.
“You can run but you can’t hide,” she said. “We will find you, and justice will prevail.”
This story was originally published March 27, 2024 at 9:20 PM.
