Florida Bar opens disciplinary file on daughter of executed serial killer, a Miami Beach candidate

The Florida Bar has opened a disciplinary file on Monique Pardo Pope, a Miami Beach City Commission candidate accused of defaming a local filmmaker who reported on her continued admiration for her father — an executed serial killer who inspired the TV show “Dexter.”

Pardo Pope, one of two candidates in the Dec. 9 runoff election, has until the day after the election to respond to allegations that she falsely claimed filmmaker Billy Corben had lost a defamation lawsuit.

The issue began when Corben uncovered that her father, Manuel Pardo — a former police officer turned drug dealer — murdered nine people in the 1980s and was executed in 2012. Pardo Pope has publicly referred to her father as her “hero,” even ending an Instagram post with his last words from the execution chamber.

What the Bar action means

Opening a disciplinary file is the second step in reviewing potential attorney misconduct. Only about 25% of annual complaints reach this stage. It simply means that, if the allegations prove true, they would violate Bar rules. It does not indicate guilt.

The Nov. 25 notice sent to Pardo Pope states that failure to respond could push the matter to a grievance committee and may be considered contempt. She must answer Corben’s allegations by Dec. 10.

How the conflict began

The case surfaced after the Miami New Times reported on Corben’s Sept. 25 Instagram post detailing Pardo Pope’s father’s history as a pro-Nazi, anti-Black serial killer. She was four years old when the crimes occurred.

When the newspaper asked her to comment, she accused Corben — known for documentaries like “Cocaine Cowboys” — of having “made a career slinging mud,” claiming it had even led to him losing a defamation case. Corben said this was false and filed a Bar complaint on Nov. 20.

He emphasized that his complaint was “not about the sins of the father, but about the lies of the daughter.”

Background on Manuel Pardo

During a search of the Pardo family’s Hialeah home decades ago, investigators found disturbing items including:

A family dog named “Satan” with a swastika tattoo
Anti-Black and anti-Jewish memorabilia
Polaroid photos of victims

Pardo Pope has openly praised her father online. In a 2015 birthday post, she called him her “guiding light” and “eternal best friend,” signing off with his execution-day last words: “Airborne forever, love your Michi girl.”

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