Ex-Miami-Dade high school football coach accused of raping student in 2012

Miami-Dade County Public Schools welcomed Rafael Villalobos as its new superintendent Tuesday, following a unanimous vote by the district’s eight-member school board . Villalobos, who began his education career 32 years ago as a teacher at South Dade Senior High School, spoke at the Fillmore Miami Beach about his vision for the district and the more than 330,000 students it serves. He was praised for his grit, determination and experience as he takes over leadership of one of the nation’s largest public school systems. Villalobos later became a principal at four different public schools and held various leadership positions throughout the district. “We want to make sure that our students receive all the resources and programs that they deserve,” he said. “We were about 3.5-4,000 students under what we have estimated, but every day, our enrollement continues to increase. He also said he wants Miami-Dade County Public Schools to become a blueprint for school districts across the country.

Missing media or need the complete publisher report? Open WPLG Local 10

Scoop News DeskMiami, Florida · Published Tuesday, September 8, 2026 at 3:01 PM UTCUpdated Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at 9:23 AM UTC

Scoop News reporting summary

The text below was supplied by the Scoop Newsroom app. Third-party reporting is attributed in the source panel.

The company released a statement about the incident on Tuesday. “Our Professional Ocean Service Corp. family is heartbroken by this unimaginable tragedy,” it read in part. “Our employees are far more than the people who work beside us each day, they are family, and they are deeply loved.” The company asked the public to keep the employees’ families “in their thoughts and prayers and to respect their privacy during this incredibly difficult time.” A Hialeah man was arrested Sunday after police said he allegedly beat his 14-year-old son with an extension cord. The five workers killed were identified on Tuesday by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office as Carlos Acosta Fajardo, 53; Rolando Aleman Leon, 55; Julio C. As of Tuesday afternoon, Romero Padilla, a Honduran national, was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where his bond was listed as “to be set.” He was also being held on an immigration hold.

Breaking news moves fast. Follow @Will466513 on X for breaking news alerts. Follow on X →

Story timeline