By Brittany Wallman ,
Charles Rabin and
Sarah Blaskey
Lasonja Mills Vandyke, mother of 16-year-old Brandon Mills who was killed in a mass shooting in 2009, holds the shoes that her son had on when he was killed. Vandyke returned to the scene of the shooting in Liberty City for the first time on Aug. 27, 2024. “His father used to call him yellow,” said Vandyke.
Alie Skowronski
askowronski@miamiherald.com
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Deal with the Devil
A Miami Herald investigation into how a mass shooter became Miami prosecutors’ informant
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Lasonja Mills Vandyke holds the shoes that her 16-year-old son, Brandon, was wearing when he was killed in a 2009 mass shooting in Liberty City. Vandyke returned to the scene for the first time on Aug. 27, 2024. “His father used to call him yellow,” said Vandyke. Alie Skowronski askowronski@miamiherald.com
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Deal with the Devil
The State Attorney’s Office gave full immunity to a confessed murderer who committed one of Miami’s worst shootings. They didn’t tell the public or the victims’ parents.
When senior prosecutor Michael Von Zamft was accused of misconduct and thrown off a major trial in March, the name William “Little Bill” Brown was aired in court. He was one of three inmates Von Zamft had attempted to gather together in the jailhouse ahead of a trial, to iron out testimony, it was alleged.
The Miami Herald followed a tip and investigated Little Bill’s deal with prosecutors, one that had been improperly kept secret. Once exposed, the State Attorney’s Office dealings with Little Bill contributed to the collapse of three murder cases.
This story was originally published December 31, 2024 at 8:15 PM.
Susan Merriam is a data and visual journalist at McClatchy, where she has published work with the Miami Herald, The Kansas City Star and The Sacramento Bee among others. She has been part of teams honored by the National Press Foundation, Investigative Reporters & Editors and the Society for News Design for their investigative and local accountability reporting.
