Her father thanked investigators after prosecutors announced a second-degree murder case.
FORT MYERS, Fla. — The family of Julia Grace Curvo stood with prosecutors as Rolbert Joachin was charged with second-degree murder in the 28-year-old woman’s January strangulation death in downtown Fort Myers.
The announcement gave Curvo’s relatives their first public sign that the death investigation had moved into a murder prosecution. State Attorney Amira Fox said the case was built through police work, witness interviews, forensic testing and tips. Curvo had been reported missing before her body was found near a downtown parking lot less than a week later.
Mark Curvo, Julia’s father, wrote a statement that Fox read during the June 29 news conference. He thanked the Fort Myers Police Department, Detective Daniel, Police Chief Jason Fields and prosecutors for investigating and filing the murder charge. He said their work brought the family to this point in seeking justice for his daughter. Sandra Stephens, Curvo’s grandmother, also attended the announcement.
Officials said Curvo’s cause of death was strangulation. They have not publicly released a full account of what they believe happened before her body was found. Fox said investigators gathered leads, questioned witnesses, collected evidence and sent evidence for testing. She also thanked Crime Stoppers for giving witnesses a way to provide information during the investigation.
The murder charge was filed while Joachin was already in custody in connection with another Fort Myers homicide case. In that separate case, he is accused of killing a gas station clerk with a hammer in April. He pleaded not guilty in that case, according to court records. The new charge links him to Curvo’s earlier death but will proceed as its own prosecution.
Fox said the office’s work now shifts to proving the case in court. Assistant State Attorneys Sara Miller and Hamid Hunter, who work in the Homicide Unit, are assigned to prosecute. The case is expected to move through standard court steps, including discovery, motions and hearings before any trial date is set.
For Curvo’s family, the announcement was both a legal update and a public moment of mourning. Mark Curvo’s statement described his daughter as beloved and asked for strength for those grieving her. Fox said violent cases bring heartbreak beyond the courtroom and said the office’s thoughts remain with the victim’s family.
The prosecution remains pending in Lee County, with future court dates expected to set the pace for the case against Joachin.
Author note: Last updated July 9, 2026.