Editor’s note: This story has been updated. The latest developments appear at the bottom.
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2026) — Fort Lauderdale police have shifted an early-morning death investigation into what they now describe as a suspicious case they believe to be a homicide, after responding to a report of a dead body in the 200 block of Northwest 15th Avenue.
The Fort Lauderdale Police Department said officers were sent to the scene at about 7:27 a.m. on Feb. 18 after receiving a call “in reference to a dead body.” At that point, police described the response as a death investigation and said they were working to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Later the same day, the department issued an update saying detectives, following an initial on-scene investigation, determined the circumstances around the death to be suspicious and that it is believed to be a homicide. Police identified the victim only as an adult female.
The department said it will release the woman’s identity after next of kin has been notified. That typically means investigators are working through confirmation and family notification steps before releasing a name publicly, a process that can take time depending on the circumstances and contact information available.
Police did not release details about how the woman died, what evidence led detectives to elevate the case, or whether they are looking for a specific suspect. The department characterized the case as active and ongoing, and said no additional information was available beyond the status update.
For residents in the area, the update matters because it changes how police are treating the scene and the work that follows. A death investigation can begin with limited publicly available detail while investigators confirm what happened. When detectives describe a death as suspicious and believed to be a homicide, it signals they think the evidence points to a criminal act, and the case typically moves into a more intensive investigative phase.
That phase can include follow-up interviews, requests for private security video, canvassing neighbors for what they saw or heard, and efforts to reconstruct a timeline around the location where the woman was found. Police will also look for information that helps identify who was with the victim and when, and whether any vehicles or other movement in the area stands out.
Fort Lauderdale police are asking anyone with information to contact them as soon as possible. In cases like this, investigators often rely on small details from the public, including observations that might not seem important at first, to narrow down timelines and identify relevant witnesses.
No timeline was given for when additional updates might be released. Police have said they will provide the victim’s identity once next of kin has been notified, and the investigation remains ongoing.
UPDATE #3 – March 16, 2026:
Fort Lauderdale police say they have identified the suspect in a previously reported shooting, linking the case to a separate homicide investigation.
In an update released March 16, detectives named Altavious Powell, a 33-year-old man, as the person responsible for the earlier shooting. Investigators determined the incident occurred before Powell’s alleged involvement in the homicide of Daneshia Heller.
According to police, the victim in the shooting initially refused to cooperate or provide details, which slowed the investigation. The victim suffered injuries described as non-life-threatening.
With new evidence obtained through investigative work, authorities have now tied Powell to the shooting. He is facing additional charges, including attempted first-degree murder and attempted felony murder in connection with that incident.
The case remains under investigation.
UPDATE #2 – February 22, 2026:
The Fort Lauderdale Police Department has identified the victim as Daneshia Heller, a Black female, born August 15, 1995.
Police have also identified the suspect as Altavious Powell, a Black male, born September 20, 1991. According to FLPD, Powell was located and arrested by the department’s Gun Intelligence Unit on Thursday, February 19, 2026, on charges unrelated to this case.
Through investigative work, homicide detectives later identified Powell as the suspect in this incident and secured an arrest warrant. He has now been charged with premeditated murder. Powell is being held at the Broward County Main Jail.
UPDATE – February 18, 2026:
Following an initial on-scene investigation, FLPD detectives determined the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death to be suspicious and believe the case to be a homicide.
At that time, police described the victim as an adult female and said her identity would be released after next of kin were notified.
The investigation remains active and ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact law enforcement.
