The new information from ICE, first reported locally by WCTV, provides additional details about the immigration history of Luis Eduardo Olla-Hernandez, who was arrested over the weekend following a homicide investigation in southwest Leon County.

The Leon County Sheriff’s Office said Olla-Hernandez was arrested and charged with first-degree murder following a homicide Saturday. Authorities have released few details about the circumstances surrounding the death.

Olla-Hernandez was booked into the Leon County Detention Facility Sunday and ordered held without bond during his first court appearance Monday.

ICE Detainer

Court records obtained by Tallahassee Reports include a Department of Homeland Security immigration detainer issued Aug. 23.

The document identifies Olla-Hernandez as a citizen of El Salvador and states that DHS determined there was probable cause to believe he is removable from the United States.

The detainer cites pending removal proceedings, biometric confirmation of his identity, a check of federal databases and statements Olla-Hernandez made to immigration authorities and/or other evidence as bases for that determination.

A separate DHS document directs the Leon County Jail to detain Olla-Hernandez and states: “Hold for ICE.”

ICE provided additional information about Olla-Hernandez to WCTV on Monday.

An ICE spokesperson told the television station that Olla-Hernandez illegally entered the United States near Hidalgo, Texas, and that an immigration judge ordered him removed in 2024.

ICE also told WCTV that Olla-Hernandez has been identified as a suspected member of Mara Salvatrucha, commonly known as MS-13, which the federal government designated a foreign terrorist organization in 2025.

The ICE detainer includes checked boxes indicating Olla-Hernandez is subject to detention provisions of the Laken Riley Act and is considered a member of a designated foreign terrorist organization and/or a national security, border security or public safety risk.

Previous Leon County Encounter

Court records reviewed by Tallahassee Reports show Olla-Hernandez had an encounter with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office in January 2024, the same year ICE says an immigration judge ordered him removed.

According to an LCSO probable-cause affidavit, a deputy stopped Olla-Hernandez on Jan. 16, 2024, near West Tennessee Street and Aenon Church Road because a taillight was out.

When the deputy asked Olla-Hernandez for his driver’s license, Olla-Hernandez instead presented an El Salvador passport. According to the affidavit, Olla-Hernandez told the deputy that the passport gave him legal grounds to drive the vehicle.

The deputy ran Olla-Hernandez through law-enforcement databases and discovered that he had a Florida driver’s license that had been suspended on Oct. 16, 2023.

According to the affidavit, Olla-Hernandez acknowledged that he knew his license was suspended and said he was driving because he did not have anyone else to drive him.

The deputy issued Olla-Hernandez a criminal citation rather than booking him into jail.

The traffic case was eventually amended to operating a motor vehicle without a valid license. Court records show Olla-Hernandez pleaded no contest in December 2024, with adjudication withheld.

The January 2024 encounter is noteworthy because the deputy knew Olla-Hernandez was an El Salvador citizen and ran his information through law-enforcement databases. However, the probable-cause affidavit contains no indication that his immigration status was investigated or that federal immigration authorities were contacted.

The record also does not establish whether Olla-Hernandez had already been ordered removed at the time of the traffic stop.

Questions About 2024 Removal Order

The timing of the immigration proceedings remains an important unanswered question.

ICE told WCTV that an immigration judge ordered Olla-Hernandez removed in 2024, but the agency did not provide the date of the order in the information reported by WCTV.

If the removal order occurred before the Jan. 16 traffic stop, Olla-Hernandez would have encountered LCSO after a judge had ordered him removed. If the order occurred later, the immigration information available to the deputy during the traffic stop could have been substantially different.

There is another unresolved issue.

The Aug. 23, 2026 ICE detainer obtained by Tallahassee Reports checks a box stating there are “ongoing removal proceedings” involving Olla-Hernandez. The form does not check the separate box indicating that a final order of removal exists.

It is therefore unclear whether the 2024 removal order became final, was appealed, was reopened or was affected by subsequent immigration proceedings.

The January 2024 LCSO affidavit also shows Olla-Hernandez previously possessed a Florida driver’s license, although it had been suspended approximately three months before the traffic stop.

The available records do not establish what Olla-Hernandez’s immigration status was when Florida originally issued the license.

Timeline

Before October 2023: Olla-Hernandez obtains a Florida driver’s license.

Oct. 16, 2023: His Florida driver’s license is suspended, according to the LCSO affidavit.

Jan. 16, 2024: An LCSO deputy stops Olla-Hernandez in Leon County. He presents an El Salvador passport. The deputy runs his information through law-enforcement databases and issues him a criminal citation.

2024: According to ICE, an immigration judge orders Olla-Hernandez removed from the United States. The exact date and subsequent status of that order remain unclear.

Dec. 17, 2024: Olla-Hernandez resolves the Leon County driver’s-license case with a no-contest plea.

2025: The federal government designates MS-13 as a foreign terrorist organization.

Aug. 22, 2026: LCSO begins investigating a homicide in southwest Leon County.

Aug. 23, 2026: Olla-Hernandez is booked on a first-degree murder charge. DHS issues an immigration detainer and an order directing Leon County to hold him for ICE.

Aug. 24, 2026: Olla-Hernandez appears in court and is ordered held without bond.

The ICE detainer does not affect Olla-Hernandez’s immediate custody status because he is already being held without bond on the murder charge.

The homicide investigation remains active and ongoing.

Luis Eduardo Olla-Hernandez was arrested over the weekend following a homicide investigation by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office in southwest Leon County.

The Sheriff’s Office said detectives began investigating the reported homicide on Saturday, Aug. 22. Based on evidence collected during the investigation, detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Olla-Hernandez, who was booked into the Leon County Detention Facility on a charge of first-degree murder.

Olla-Hernandez appeared in court Monday and was ordered held without bond.

Documents reviewed by Tallahassee Reports show that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged an immigration detainer against Olla-Hernandez on Aug. 23, one day after the homicide investigation began.

The Department of Homeland Security “Immigration Detainer – Notice of Action” identifies Olla-Hernandez as a citizen of El Salvador and states that federal authorities determined there is probable cause to believe he is a “removable individual.”

The document indicates that removal proceedings against Olla-Hernandez are pending.

ICE also cited biometric confirmation of Olla-Hernandez’s identity and a check of federal databases containing immigration information as a basis for its determination. The detainer indicates that the records showed Olla-Hernandez lacks lawful immigration status or otherwise has an immigration status that makes him removable under federal law.

Federal authorities also indicated that statements made by Olla-Hernandez to an immigration officer and/or other evidence supported the determination.

The document further states that Olla-Hernandez is subject to detention provisions of the Laken Riley Act.

ICE requested that Leon County authorities notify federal immigration officials before releasing Olla-Hernandez and maintain custody for up to 48 hours beyond the time he otherwise would be released to allow DHS to assume custody.

A separate Department of Homeland Security document dated Aug. 23 directs the Leon County Jail to detain Olla-Hernandez. The document lists the nature of his immigration case as “Removal Proceedings” and includes the instruction “Hold for ICE.”

Leon County jail personnel indicated that the immigration detainer was served on Olla-Hernandez in person on Aug. 23.

The immigration detainer currently has little practical effect on Olla-Hernandez’s immediate custody status because he is being held without bond on the first-degree murder charge. However, the ICE detainer would allow federal authorities to seek custody if he otherwise became eligible for release from local custody.

The Leon County Sheriff’s Office said the homicide investigation remains active and ongoing.

Godby quarterback Landon Dougherty was named Offensive Player of the Week after helping lead the Cougars to a 35-13 victory over rival Rickards in the season opener at Gene Cox Stadium. The victory snapped Godby’s six-game losing streak against the Raiders.

Dougherty, a senior quarterback, completed 13 of 24 passes for 219 yards and four touchdowns, according to MaxPreps statistics. The 6-foot-5 quarterback is coming off a junior season in which he produced several big passing performances, including 366 yards against Bishop Kenny and 224 yards with three touchdowns against Bay in the playoffs.

Leon linebacker Randon Manausa earned Defensive Player of the Week honors following the Lions’ 42-24 victory over Fernandina Beach. The senior is listed as a middle linebacker and fullback for Leon.

Manausa also contributed on offense in the victory. MaxPreps credits him with six carries for 48 yards and a touchdown, an average of 8.0 yards per attempt.

Florida High’s Micah Deem was selected as the Offensive Lineman of the Week. The 6-foot-3, 255-pound tackle helped the Seminoles open the season with a 37-13 win over Navarre. Deem, a senior, wears No. 57 for Florida High.

Deem is also a standout track and field athlete. He was named the 2026 All-Big Bend Boys Track and Field Player of the Year after a season that included a state championship performance.

Maclay senior Henry Richardson was named the Impact Player of the Week after a big all-around performance in the Marauders’ 38-0 season-opening victory over Lafayette.

Richardson, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound wide receiver and defensive back, caught four passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 31.3 yards per reception. On defense, Richardson recorded two interceptions. MaxPreps lists him among the early state leaders in interceptions, while video from the game shows Richardson scoring one of his two first-quarter touchdowns.

The four selections represent the Tallahassee Quarterback Club’s first weekly awards of the 2026 high school football season.

The Leon County Canvassing Board scheduled the manual recount to begin at 8:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 24, according to the Leon County Supervisor of Elections Office.

The manual review follows a machine recount conducted over the weekend that reduced Derzypolski’s advantage by one vote.

After provisional and vote-by-mail ballots were reviewed last week, Derzypolski held second place with 10,532 votes compared with 10,518 for Edwards — a difference of only 14 votes, or about 0.04 percentage points.

The machine recount subsequently resulted in Derzypolski losing one vote, reducing his lead over Edwards to 13 votes and triggering the manual recount.

The recount will determine which candidate advances to the Nov. 3 general election runoff against P.J. Perez, who finished first in the six-candidate primary with approximately 29% of the vote. No candidate received the majority required to win the seat outright.

The race has tightened since election night.

Initial results following the Aug. 18 primary showed Derzypolski with 10,524 votes and Edwards with 10,500 — a 24-vote difference. After election officials reviewed provisional ballots and vote-by-mail ballots requiring additional attention, the margin fell to 14 votes.

Leon County Supervisor of Elections Mark Earley has emphasized that recounts are a normal part of the election process when margins are extremely narrow. During the machine recount, all ballots containing the Seat 3 contest were rerun through the tabulation system under established chain-of-custody procedures.

Both Edwards and Derzypolski have publicly expressed confidence in the election process while awaiting the final result.

The winner of the recount will face Perez in November for the seat currently held by City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow, who gave up the seat to run for mayor.

The Supervisor of Elections Office has not yet posted a final result from Monday’s manual recount. Its website currently identifies the manual recount as the next step in resolving the Seat 3 contest.

The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the fatal crash, which occurred at approximately 10:42 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21, near the intersection of West Pensacola Street and Ausley Road.

According to information released by FHP, a marked LCSO Chevrolet Tahoe struck a female pedestrian. Emergency personnel transported the woman to Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, where she later died from her injuries. Her identity had not been publicly released as of the weekend.

LCSO identified the driver of the agency vehicle as a reserve deputy. Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Shonda Knight told media outlets that reserve deputies are certified law enforcement officers who are authorized to operate agency vehicles and typically work assignments such as special events and traffic control.

LCSO deferred questions about the circumstances of the fatal crash to FHP, which is leading the investigation.

“That crash is a tragic incident, and our thoughts are with the victim’s family during this difficult time,” an LCSO spokesperson told WCTV.

Authorities have not publicly announced whether the reserve deputy was responding to a call or working a particular assignment at the time of the crash. FHP also had not announced a determination regarding fault or released details explaining how the collision occurred.

Less than 24 hours later, another LCSO deputy was involved in a separate two-vehicle crash in northwest Tallahassee.

That crash occurred shortly before 8 p.m. Saturday at Capital Circle Northwest and the Interstate 10 westbound off-ramp, according to LCSO.

The deputy suffered minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital. The driver and passenger in the other vehicle were also transported to a hospital with minor injuries.

LCSO told WTXL that the Saturday crash remained under investigation and that no determination of fault had been made.

The two incidents put two Sheriff’s Office vehicles in crashes within approximately a 21-hour period, with one resulting in a death and the other producing three reported injuries.

The fatal pedestrian collision remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol, while authorities have not yet released additional information about what caused either crash.

Florida employers could see another round of decreases in the costs of their workers’ compensation insurance.

The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) is recommending that workers’ compensation rates be reduced by an average 7.4% beginning Jan 1, 2027.

NCCI is the licensed rating organization in Florida, authorized to suggest workers’ compensation rates. NCCI’s filing is a recommendation only. Florida’s insurance commissioner is charged with setting the rates. Often, the commissioner’s office holds a public meeting on proposed rates.

The reduction is largely driven by a reduction in the frequency of “lost-time claims,” when employees miss work because of injuries.

“That means workplaces are safe. That’s a great thing for employees,” Florida Chamber of Commerce Vice President of Government Affairs Carolyn Johnson told the Phoenix Friday. “And that’s a business’ greatest asset, its employees. So having safer workplaces, that’s just fantastic news.”

Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system that aims to protect employers from getting sued by injured employees and, in exchange, employers provide employees injured on the job the care they need to return to work. Employers are required to provide compensation for lost wages if an employee misses more than eight days of work due to an on-the-job injury.

Most employers in Florida are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance but there are exceptions for businesses with four or fewer employees and for construction companies with four or fewer officers. While those firms aren’t mandated to carry the coverage, they are required to file for exemptions with the state.

NCCI reviewed the premium and loss experience for Florida employers in policy years 2023 and 2024 in making the recommendation.

While the NCCI is recommending an overall reduction, its proposed rate filing does take into consideration minor increases to the maximum allowable rates for physician and other non-hospital providers that treat injured workers. And despite the small bump (0.06%), NCCI’s recommendation reflects a lower-than-anticipated medical loss-ratio trend.

According to a summary, the lower medical loss ratio is tied to strong wage growth. Nationwide, payroll increased 4.8% from 2024 to 2025, while employment growth (largely driven by the healthcare sector) rose just 0.5% during that same time.

If the proposed reduction (or a modified reduction) is approved, it would be the 10th consecutive year in which workers’ compensation rates have fallen for Florida employers. Florida Insurance Commissioner Mike Yaworsky last year ordered an average  6.9% reduction in workers’ compensation rates effective Jan. 1.

This story has been updated to include comment from the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

Florida High

Florida High was led by Peyton Johnson, who shot a 40 (+4) to tie for the lowest individual score in the tournament. Leah Lowe (Jr.) and Samaira Patel (So.) each followed with a 43 (+7), while Kamryn Montgomery (Jr.) rounded out the Seminoles’ four scoring golfers with a 44 (+8). Those four scores combined for a team total of 170 (+26). Eva Castillo (8th) added a 48 (+12), while Desi Hall (So.) finished with a 50 (+14).

Peyton Johnson started her round off two over on the first three holes bogeying hole one (305 yard par four) and hole two (478 yard par five). Johnson bounced back with three pars in a row on holes four, five and six. Although she bogeyed seven and eight, Johnson finished her round off with a par on a 303 yard par 4 finishing with a round of 40 (+4) and tied for first place with Chiles’ Kate Mathis.

Maclay

Maclay finished second in the team competition with a 173 (+29), led by Mollie Sprague’s (Jr.) 41 (+5). Trisha Patel and Emmeline Cone (Jr.) each shot 43 (+7), while Reece Erwin (Jr.) and Addie Sprague (Jr.) both carded a 46 (+10). With the four lowest scores counting toward the team total, Maclay’s scoring lineup consisted of Sprague, Patel, Cone and one of the two golfers who shot 46. Emma Holt Upton (Fr.) finished with a 47 (+11).

Chiles

Chiles did not have enough golfers to post a team score but was led individually by Kate Mathis, who shot a 40 (+4) to tie for the tournament’s lowest score. Liza Baker Wright (Jr.) followed with a 41 (+5), while Ava Collier (Jr.) finished with a 51 (+15).

Kate Mathis started her round off with three straight pars on holes one, two and three before bogeying on hole four (251 par four). Mathis recorded her first and only birdie of the round on the eighth hole, a 101-yard par three, bringing her score back to one over par. Mathis triple bogeyed the last hole finishing her round shooting a 40 (+4) and tied for first with Florida High’s Peyton Johnson.

Lincoln

Lincoln also did not have enough golfers to qualify for a team score, with Avery Billington leading the team individually with a 61 (+25). Bella McCoy followed with a 63 (+27).

Friday, August 21, 2026

Weather: Today, a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2pm, with a high near 94. Tonight, a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11pm, with a low around 74. Saturday, showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 4pm, with a high near 92. Saturday night, showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 7pm, with a low around 73. NWS

US stock markets close down (S&P 500 -0.9%, Dow -1.3%, Nasdaq -1.0%) as rising Treasury yields increase borrowing costs (More).

Local & State News

The Tallahassee City Commission will consider authorizing a $9.5 million water and sewer infrastructure project along Bannerman Road when commissioners meet on Aug. 26. Details.

A Lee County public school teacher’s suspension for a comment about slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk should be ended and she should receive back pay, an administrative court judge has recommended. Details

The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday estimated 5,470 first-time unemployment claims were filed in Florida last week, down from a revised count of 5,797 the week ending Aug. 8. Details

National News

FBI agents search the Washington, DC, home of former California Rep. Eric Swalwell (D) and seize electronic devices in probe tied to allegations of sexual assault; raid is reportedly part of a federal civil rights investigation (More).

Walmart shares tumble 9.2% after reporting smallest sales growth in over six years; retailer to use its $2.9B in tariff refunds to lower prices on 11,000 items, including groceries (More).

The proposal, included on the commission’s consent agenda, would authorize the city manager to negotiate and execute a Joint Project Agreement with the Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency. The agreement would coordinate city utility improvements with Blueprint’s Northeast Corridor Connector: Bannerman Road Project.

Blueprint’s project calls for widening Bannerman Road from Quail Common Drive to Preservation Road, constructing medians and turn lanes between Quail Common Drive and Meridian Road, and adding multimodal transportation and stormwater improvements.

Construction is currently expected to begin in late 2027.

The road improvements will affect existing City of Tallahassee water and sewer infrastructure, requiring some utilities to be relocated or adjusted. Rather than simply move the affected infrastructure, city officials are proposing significant upgrades to the water and wastewater systems while the roadway is under construction.

The city plans to replace an existing 10-inch water main with a 12-inch main, which officials say will increase water system capacity and improve pressure in the area.

The larger portion of the investment involves wastewater infrastructure. The city plans to install a new 24-inch sewer force main as part of a broader regional wastewater system improvement.

Of the estimated $9.5 million city cost, approximately $1.5 million is associated with water improvements and $8 million with sewer improvements. The estimate includes construction, inspection, staff and project management costs.

Funding has already been identified in the city’s five-year Capital Improvement Plan through Water System Engineering and Wastewater Collection Engineering master funds and the Northeast Forcemain and Pump Station Improvements project.

Blueprint will separately pay for utility relocation work made necessary by the road construction. The city’s $9.5 million expenditure is associated with the additional water and sewer upgrades it is choosing to undertake in conjunction with the project.

According to the agenda item, combining the utility and roadway work under one construction contract is expected to improve coordination, reduce potential construction conflicts and minimize disruptions to motorists. City officials also expect the joint approach to produce cost efficiencies compared with undertaking the utility improvements separately.

The agreement between Blueprint and the city would establish responsibility and terms for both the utility relocations required by the road project and the additional utility upgrades being funded by the city.

City staff recommends approval of the agreement. Because the item is on the consent agenda, it could be approved along with other consent items without separate discussion unless a commissioner requests that it be pulled for consideration.

The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday estimated 5,470 first-time unemployment claims were filed in Florida last week, down from a revised count of 5,797 the week ending Aug. 8.

The weekly count, which has now averaged 5,970 claims a week since the start of the year, comes as two companies involved in transportation and warehousing advised the state of pending layoffs affecting more than 350.

Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notifications recently sent to the state Department of Commerce included an announcement from Postal Center International, Inc. regarding the closure of its Weston headquarters, affecting 181 workers, and one from Saddle Creek Logistics Services in Plant City, stating plans to lay off 178 employees in October.

The Department of Commerce will update the state’s unemployment numbers on Friday.

The state’s unemployment rate for June, 4.7 percent, represents an estimated 525,000 Floridians qualified as out-of-work from a workforce of 11.14 million.

A Lee County public school teacher’s suspension for a comment about slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk should be ended and she should receive back pay, an administrative court judge has recommended.

Division of Administrative Hearings Judge Andrew Manko found that a derisive remark about Kirk posted on Facebook by Mariah Roller, an educator at Three Oaks Middle School in Fort Myers, caused “minimal” disruption to the Lee County School Board.

“Ms. Roller’s private Facebook post on her personal Facebook page was not unethical, and it was not her action, but that of a third party, that resulted in its dissemination,” wrote Manko in the Aug. 14 ruling.

On Sept. 10, 2025, the day Kirk was assassinated by a gunman while speaking at a Utah college, Roller wrote a post criticizing his past defense of the Second Amendment.

“What’s that about the cost of the second amendment being ‘some gun deaths every year,’? Bye Charlie,” the post read, followed by a waving emoji and three fire emojis, according to the DOAH decision.

The post was private but was snipped and disseminated on social media before it was deleted less than an hour later. 

The Lee County School Board argued Roller’s post caused “substantial disruption” at the school.

But Manko found only two parents complained to the board, not the school’s principal, and out of the 15 to 20 emails sent to the principal about the social media post, “he only took the time to send a generic response to a few of them.”

Attempts to reach Roller’s attorney were unsuccessful, and the Lee County School District did not respond to requests for comment.

Unlike in civil court proceedings, DOAH rulings are merely recommendations to state and local government agencies, which do not have to abide by the decisions.

Numerous educators in the state, including school board members, posted about Kirk’s death on social media and were threatened with disciplinary actions by the Florida Department of Education if the posts violated the state’s employee conduct policies.

“It has been brought to my attention that some Florida educators have posted despicable comments on social media regarding the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk,” wrote then-Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas in a memo the day after the shooting. “These few are not a reflection of the great, high-quality teachers who make up the vast majority of Florida’s educators. Nevertheless, I will be conducting an investigation of every educator who engages in this vile, sanctionable behavior.”

Other teachers throughout the state who were disciplined for posts regarding Kirk have similarly had their cases heard by DOAH, including Matthew Theobald, a Martin County social studies teacher.

In June, DOAH judge Jodi-Ann Livingstone recommended the Martin County School Board rescind his termination and award him back pay and benefits she ruled the school board failed to prove just cause existed to suspend and terminate his employment.

The Martin County School Board objected and the superintendent has filed exceptions objecting to the recommended order, but the board has not yet made a final determination. 

The latest information from the Tallahassee International Airport shows the July 2026 passenger traffic increased 8.0% when compared to traffic one year ago. The number of passengers was up 5,864 from the 73,005 reported during July 2025 to 78,869 in July 2026.

Relative to 2025, the Passenger Traffic Report shows year-over-year passenger counts in July were down 0.2% for American Airlines and up 4.7% for the Delta Group. In their first month of operation, Breeze Airways added 4,196 passengers

The graph below shows the annualized number of passengers for the last 37-months. The highlighted numbers on the graph indicate the annual traffic during the month of June over the last four years. The annual rate of passengers at TIA in July 2026 – 871,410 – is down 7.81% when compared to one year ago (945,221).

The annualized level of passenger traffic in July (871,410) was up 0.68% when compared to June (865,546).

The annualized number of passengers is calculated by summing the previous 12 months of traffic.