Roofing contractor, Sergio Pino's hired hand, admits to planning wife's assassination.
Done Deal: Killer Roofers in Miami's Murky Affairs
In a chilling turn of events, Fausto Villar, a roofer who once worked for Sergio Pino, admitted guilt to a murder-for-hire conspiracy and related charges. Villar, known as "Cuba," is an ex-felon who's now faced with severe consequences for his actions.
At the court hearing on Tuesday, Villar pleaded guilty to more than just the hit job. He also confessed to stalking Pino's estranged wife, Tatiana, and brandishing a firearm during a violent crime. With these pleas, Villar becomes the fifth out of nine defendants to dodge a trial in the Miami federal case.
Pino and Tatiana were entangled in a vicious divorce, with Tatiana suing for divorce in 2022 and battling for potentially tens of millions of dollars in joint assets. Tragically, Pino took his own life before FBI agents could apprehend him last July.
Villar's gunman, Vernon Green, also pleaded guilty to the primary murder-for-hire charge, as well as stalking and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Both Green and Villar face a minimum prison sentence of seven years, with the possibility of life imprisonment at their sentencing in September.
Green admitted that he threatened Tatiana with a pistol last summer as she approached her Pinecrest home. He also pointed the weapon at her daughter, causing chaos and panic.
Clementa Johnson, another member of Villar's crew, was scheduled to plead guilty to recruiting Green as the gunman. However, he bailed out at his hearing, leaving him to face trial in mid-July along with two other remaining defendants.
Handyman Bayron Bennett, who provided services for Pino's yacht excursions, is set to plead guilty in early July. If he follows through on his plea deal, Bennett would join the ranks of the five individuals already convicted in the case.
Fighting Over a FortuneTatiana Pino inherited a substantial portion of her husband's empire, worth over $100 million, following his death. However, probate court disputes over Pino's estate remain unresolved, and Tatiana has taken on the role of president at Century Homebuilders Group in Coral Gables.
The FBI affidavits and court documents paint a disturbing picture of Pino's alleged attempts on his wife's life. On June 23, 2024, as Tatiana drove to church in Kendall, she was tailed by a hired thug. Meanwhile, Green was parked in his truck outside Tatiana's Pinecrest home, waiting for her return. The botched attempt on Tatiana's life sent Green running, leading to an ensuing chaotic scene in which his gun was pointed at Tatiana's daughter's face.
Green and another Miami-Dade man, Avery Bivins, pleaded guilty to federal charges earlier this year, admitting to their roles in Pino's hired hits. Bivins even flipped for the FBI, playing a critical role in solidifying the case against Pino just days before the developer took his own life.
If Pino hadn't committed suicide on July 16, 2024, he would have faced charges as the lead defendant for directing the murder-for-hire conspiracy unfolding in two parts. The first part involved Pino recruiting handyman Bayron Bennett and enlisting three other men for the alleged plot against his wife. The second part saw Pino turning to the notorious roofer, Fausto Villar, for assistance in carrying out the deadly scheme.
[1] Miami Herald, "Five plead guilty in Coral Gables developer’s plot to kill his wife," June 12, 2025. Available at: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article261849046.html
[2] Associated Press, "Miami roofers plead guilty in developer's murder-for-hire plot," June 12, 2025. Available at: https://apnews.com/article/crime-florida-murder-law-and-order-b779ba4598ac4d414a5e4bd016690e31
- The guilty pleas from Fausto Villar and Vernon Green, along with other defendants, have moved the Miami federal case that revolves around politics, general-news, and crime-and-justice, one step closer to resolution.
- As the fight over Pino's fortune continues in the probate court, the recent developments in the murder-for-hire case have caused a stir in Miami's general-news and crime-and-justice circles.
