Background
Michael Lee Platt (February 3, 1954 – April 11, 1986) and William Russell Matix (June 25, 1951 – April 11, 1986) met while serving in the Army in the 1970s. Matix first served in the Marine Corps from 1969–1972 and was honorably discharged. In 1973, Matix enlisted in the Army and served in the military police. Matix was honorably discharged from the Army in 1976. Platt enlisted in 1972 as an infantryman and served with the U.S. Army Rangers. He was honorably discharged in 1979. The pair met while they were stationed at Fort Campbell in Kentucky. Both men had been previously married to women who had died under mysterious circumstances. Matix's wife, Patricia Buchanich, was stabbed to death along with a co-worker on December 30, 1983 at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, where both women worked. Matix was a suspect in her murder but was never charged. After his wife's death Matix moved to Miami at the urging of Michael Platt. After relocating to Miami, Matix began a landscaping business with Platt. In December 1984, Platt's wife Regina was found shot dead with a shotgun. Her death was ruled a suicide.
Prior to embarking on their crime spree neither Platt nor Matix had a criminal record.
On October 5, 1985, Platt and Matix murdered 25-year-old Emelio Briel while he was target shooting at a rock pit. The pair stole Briel's car and used it to commit several robberies. Briel's remains were found on March 1, 1986 but were not positively identified until May 1986.
On October 16, 1985, Platt and Matix attempted to rob a Wells Fargo armored truck in front of a Winn-Dixie supermarket. One of the pair shot a guard in the leg with a shotgun. Two other guards returned fire. Neither Platt nor Matix was injured. No money was taken in the botched robbery.
On November 8, 1985, Platt and Matix robbed a teller station outside a branch of the Florida National Bank. Ninety minutes later, Platt and Matix robbed a branch of the Professional Savings Bank. The pair used Briel's car in the second robbery.
On January 10, 1986, Platt and Matix robbed a Brinks armored truck. One suspect shot the guard with a shotgun while the other shot him with a rifle. The guard survived. Platt and Matix used Briel's car in this incident. The pair were followed from the scene by a citizen who saw them switch to a white Ford F-150 pickup truck.
On March 12, 1986, Platt and Matix robbed and shot Jose Collazo while Collazo was target shooting at a rock pit. The pair left Collazo for dead and stole his car, a black 1979 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Collazo survived the shooting and walked three miles to get help.
On March 19, 1986, the pair used Collazo's car to rob the Barnett Bank at 13595 South Dixie Highway.
Read more about this topic: 1986 FBI Miami Shootout
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