A longtime Southwest Florida prosecutor who oversaw the homicide, economic crimes and special prosecution units for the 20th Judicial Circuit died Friday of an apparent heart attack.

Dean R. Plattner worked for 30 years with the State Attorney’s Office of the 20th Circuit. He was 53.

Plattner had called in sick on Friday after battling a cold for much of last week, said Samantha Syoen, spokeswoman for the State Attorney’s Office.

Syoen said Plattner was an integral part of the office and deeply respected by his colleagues and peers.

“He was just uber-talented,” she said. “Everything he did, he did incredibly well.”

While based in Lee County, Plattner oversaw the prosecution of some of the most serious crimes in the region, including Charlotte County.

The 20th Judicial Circuit comprises Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Glades and Hendry counties.

As head of the office’s homicide unit, Plattner supervised four prosecutors who handled the bulk of all murder cases in the region. He had a similar leadership role with the office’s economic crimes unit, bad check diversion unit and special prosecution unit, with cases ranging from corruption and ethics violations to officer-involved shootings.

Plattner is survived by his wife, Lise, also a felony prosecutor with the State Attorney’s Office of the 20th Circuit; and their two sons.

A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. today at Temple Beth El in Fort Myers.

Email: kbaxter@sun-herald.com