APOPKA, Fla. — A local Haitian DJ was murdered outside a club. Deputies arrested the alleged shooter. The victim’s friend spoke out about his loss.
Event promoter Will Gaines talks about a shooting that happened early Sunday morning around 3:30 am. He says he worked with his friend, DJ Kendy Alexandre.
As they were outside after closing, Gaines says shots were fired. “After the party’s done, everybody here at the parking lot. They start to shoot the bullet. He took the bullet; he died.”
Orange County deputies arrested 33-year-old Rijkaard Florvil. They say they responded to an after-hours club off Apopka Vineland Road and found 29-year-old Alexandre shot in the head. Gaines says, “Now everybody’s so sad.”
The night of the murder, Florvil told deputies he shot two rounds in the air as a fight took place with a large group of people and blamed someone else for the murder. But according to investigators, video surveillance shows Florvil confronting the victim with a gun, then the muzzle flash is seen, and Kendy falls to the ground.
Today a judge ordered him to stay away from witnesses if he is released, after his upcoming hearing. Gaines told us, “My friend doesn’t have an enemy.”
The club is called Bistro Paradise, and in the report, deputies describe it as an “after-hours” club, meaning a place that serves alcohol after 2am. However, a worker told us they closed at 2am, and Gaines said the same.
When we asked a sheriff’s spokesperson for clarification, they didn’t have additional details about the club but mentioned that an ordinance has allowed them to shut down 17 after-hours bars since 2024.
Gaines says there was a big crowd in the parking lot, but the bar was closed. “I think they are looking for an after-party, but the bar is closed.” Gaines isn’t sure why anyone would want to kill Kendy.
He says he was a father to a toddler and a wonderful friend. We asked him, “What will you miss most about your friend?” He replied, “Everything because we do everything together.”
The judge ordered Florvil to remain in jail without bond. His next hearing is scheduled for March 5th at 9am.
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