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Authorities in Miami-Dade County have arrested three men on felony charges stemming from an alleged fraternity hazing scheme that resulted in victims requiring hospital treatment. The investigation culminated in the arrests of Marquez Christopher Pinder, 29; Jared Lamar James, 26; and Elijah Delano Dyous, 29, with charges announced jointly by State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle, Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz and Sweetwater Police Chief Sergio Diez.
The alleged abuse unfolded over multiple days and locations between April 1 and April 4, 2026, according to law enforcement. The incidents began at an apartment in Sweetwater on April 1 and continued through April 3 at the same address before moving to an unincorporated Miami-Dade County residence on April 4, investigators said.
The three defendants are each charged with two counts of attempted manslaughter with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon causing great bodily harm, and hazing with a deadly weapon. Authorities determined the men carried out repeated and prolonged beatings using canes and paddles, allegedly as punishment when initiation candidates failed to answer fraternity-related questions correctly.
State Attorney Fernandez Rundle emphasized the severity of hazing in Florida, citing deaths of Chad Meredith, Robert Champion and Andrew Coffey since 2001. “In Florida, hazing is abuse and it is a crime,” she stated, noting that victims often face lifelong consequences including death and serious injury.
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