Funeral Held For FHP Trooper Killed In Haiti

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Family members said their final farewells Saturday to a Florida Highway Patrol trooper from North Miami gunned down in Haiti.

The funeral for Trooper Jean Barthlus was held at 93rd Street Community Baptist Church in Miami, followed by a burial at Southern Memorial Park Cemetery in North Miami.

Many questions still surround the mysterious murder of Barthelus, 47, in Port-au-Prince on June 9th.

FHP official said, for reasons unknown, two men flagged down Barthelus on a roadside and then shot and killed him. Barthelus was visiting the island to tend to his ailing wife.

"We're just torn a part," said his cousin Dorothy Borgelin, "We don't know what to say, we don't know what to do. If it was here maybe we'd say there was a motive, we don't know what the motive is and that's what is killing us. We don't know if somebody was trying to rob him."

Borgelin said Barthelus was the pillar of the family. She said he moved here from Haiti to start a new life for himself and the rest of his family. He worked hard and bought a home for his mother in North Miami and that's when they said he moved her and several other family members over here to live.

"That's my last son," said Emilie Barthelus, his mother. "He is a good person. He has a good heart. He is here to help his community."

Trooper Barthelus was an eight-year veteran of the FHP. He joined FHP in December 2004 and was assigned to Troop E-Miami.

FHP said Barthelus is survived by his wife, daughter, mother and several brothers and sisters.