American missionary couple killed by gangs in Haiti
May 24 (UPI) -- A Missouri state lawmaker said the killing of his daughter and son-in-law in Haiti has left his heart "broken in a thousand pieces."
David Lloyd III and his wife, Natalie, an American missionary couple working in Haiti, were killed by gangs Thursday evening.
Missouri State Rep. Ben Baker said on Facebook his daughter and son-in-law were full-time missionaries.
"My heart is broken in a thousand pieces," Baker wrote. "I've never felt this kind of pain. Most of you know my daughter and son-in-law Davy and Natalie Lloyd are full time missionaries in Haiti. They were attacked by gangs this evening and were both killed."
A third person, Jude Montis was also killed as three gang trucks ambushed them, according to a Facebook post by Missions In Haiti Inc.
"This evening when Davy, Natalie and the kids were coming out of Youth at the church they were ambushed by a gang of 3 trucks full of guys," the post said. "Davy was taken to the house tied up and beat. The gang then took our trucks and loaded everything up they wanted and left."
The Thursday night post described David and Natalie as fleeing to a house for safety but said another gang arrived.
"No one understood what they were doing, not sure what took place but one was shot and killed and now this gang went into full attack mode," the Missions In Haiti facebook post said. " Davy, Natalie and Jude was in my house at the end of the property using the star link internet to call me. So they are holed up in there, the gangs has shot all the windows out of the house and continue to shoot. Their lives are in danger."
The missions group said attempts were made to get police to send an armored car to evacuate the missionaries and negotations were also attempted with the gang, to no avail.
"Davy and Natalie and Jude were shot and killed by the gang about 9 o'clock this evening. We all are devastated," a later post said.
Days before the gang attacks, David Lloyd had expressed hope that help was coming and order in Haiti might be restored.
"Gang Rule could be ending soon," David Lloyd wrote on Facebook. "We are praying this will happen and the sooner the better. Thank you for your continued prayers."
The United Nations warned at the end of March that Haiti was in a "cataclysmic situation" with rampant gang violence. The security situation there has been deteriorating since Presdient Jovenel Moise was assassinated in July, 2021.
According to the U.N.'s Human Rights Council, the exploding violence killed at least 4,451 people in 2023 and nearly 2,000 people were kidnapped.
Gangs attacked prisons in March, helping 3,600 inmates escape.
President Joe Biden hosted Kenyan President William Ruto for the first state visit in two decades by a Kenyan president Tuesday.
On their agenda was a Kenyan police deployment to Haiti that will attempt to help restore order.
In July 2023, the U.S. State Department issued a level 4 Do Not Travel to Haiti advisory due to civil unrest, kidnapping and crime.
The departure of all family members of U.S. government employees and non-emergency American government employees from Haiti was ordered.
