Florida News

Man gets life sentence for murder with decorative spear

Miami, FL

Adam Crespo, 49, has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his girlfriend, Silvia Galva, 32. A jury found Crespo guilty of second-degree murder in August, six years after Galva’s death on July 12, 2019.

Crespo claimed that Galva “must have grabbed onto the spear” during a fight when police arrived at their home to find her fatally impaled. The prosecution presented evidence suggesting that the spear wound could only have been inflicted with intent to kill.

During the trial, Crespo’s defense argued that the incident was accidental, citing a lack of physical evidence of malice. They contended that Crespo had turned his back during the altercation and heard a snap before discovering Galva injured.

Judge Andrew Siegel delivered the sentence on Friday, stating that he found no evidence of remorse from Crespo. The courtroom was told that medical examiners testified that the injury indicated a homicide rather than an accident.

Prosecutor Jaclyn Broudy emphasized Crespo’s ill will towards Galva, arguing that he acted out of anger. Additionally, both sides engaged expert witnesses and demonstrations during the trial to reconstruct the events surrounding Galva’s death.

Crespo, upon receiving his sentence, expressed regret for his actions but did not react visibly during the proceedings. He stated, “I still love her and I regret my actions that night.”

Man accused of shoplifting using daughter as lookout in Gainesville

Gainesville, FL A 35-year-old man is facing charges after allegedly attempting to steal items from an Ace Hardware with his 6-year-old daughter. Joshua Robert Spirit was apprehended earlier this week on multiple charges, including child abuse and resisting an officer.

The incident reportedly took place at approximately 4 p.m. on Monday, November 10. Security personnel observed Spirit and his daughter in the store’s tool section where he concealed merchandise valued at $199 in his and his daughter’s belongings.

The guard confronted Spirit as he tried to leave the store without paying. Spirit reportedly refused to comply and attempted to flee in his vehicle, nearly hitting the guard in the process.

Responding officers located Spirit outside his residence shortly after. When instructed to stop, Spirit reportedly ran away, leaving his daughter unattended.

He was next seen in the 5900 block of NW 23rd Terrace. Spirit allegedly tried to escape again by jumping over an 8-foot wall and hiding in a Walmart parking lot.

Officers eventually found Spirit concealing himself under a parked car. In attempting to evade capture, he entered the nearby Walmart, where he was apprehended with the assistance of a Taser.

Spirit had prior nonviolent felony convictions and was on probation at the time of his arrest. He was booked at the Alachua County Jail, where a judge set his bond at $45,000 while holding him without bond pending review of his probation status.

Mother charged with stabbing son during argument over phone bill

Miami, FL A Miami woman is facing charges after allegedly stabbing her son with a fork during a domestic dispute. Leticia Puentes, 39, is charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon according to jail records.

The incident occurred on Thursday morning at their home near Northwest 72nd Street. Puentes and her son were arguing over his tardiness at school and a phone bill, which escalated as he reportedly began throwing objects.

Around 8:15 a.m., the altercation turned violent when Puentes stabbed her son behind the ear. Officers arriving at the scene found the victim with a bleeding puncture wound.

Miami-Dade County first responders treated the injury at the home. The mother admitted to the act but claimed self-defense.

Puentes has been booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center and is being held on a $3,000 bond.

Woman arrested for allegedly assaulting deputy after 911 ride request

Gainesville, FL

Baylee Jordan Graham, 30, is in custody following an incident at a McDonald’s where she allegedly assaulted a sheriff’s deputy. The incident began shortly after midnight on Tuesday when a deputy responded to a call regarding Graham refusing to leave the restroom.

Upon arrival, the deputy attempted to communicate with Graham, who provided a false name. When Graham exited the bathroom, the deputy charged her phone to facilitate a call for a ride, which led Graham to call 911, claiming she was at a nearby Circle K.

The deputy informed Graham that calling 911 for a ride was a criminal offense. Despite an offer to drive her home, Graham repeatedly refused.

Graham allegedly continued to call 911, prompting dispatchers to notify the deputy of her actions. The deputy instructed her to stop making the calls, but Graham persisted, leading the deputy to approach her.

When the deputy took hold of Graham’s arm, she allegedly struck the deputy in the face, stating, “Do not touch me.” Additional deputies arrived as Graham resisted arrest and attempted to obstruct the vehicle door.

The arrest report indicates that Graham made a total of 14 calls to 911 during the encounter. While in the patrol car, she allegedly made a remark about not being prepared and mentioned harming the deputy in another situation.

Graham faces charges of battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest, and misuse of 911. She is being held at the Alachua County Jail with a bond set at $35,000.

Two men convicted in murder-for-hire plot after teenager reported sexual assault

Brooksville, FL

Lenard White was found guilty of premeditated first-degree murder and murder-for-hire on Monday in connection with the death of 17-year-old Isabella Scavelli. His cousin, Sheldon Robinson, received the same verdict for accepting $6,000 from White to facilitate the fatal shooting.

Jurors heard that on February 6, Scavelli and her mother accused White of sexually assaulting the teenager. The next day Robinson allegedly shot Scavelli in front of her mother, who was also injured in the attack.

Evidence presented at trial indicated that Scavelli was killed as she attempted to flee from her front door. Prosecutors stated that White had traveled to Georgia shortly after reporting the assault in an effort to establish an alibi.

Investigators executed over 70 search warrants, which led to a detailed understanding of Robinson’s actions on the day of the murder. Communications from Robinson’s phone revealed requests for assistance with a “clean-up job” linked to the crime.

Months after the incident, authorities recovered the handgun used in the murder from a wooded area behind Robinson’s home. White and Robinson were accused of trying to hinder the investigation by tampering with evidence and making false statements to law enforcement.

Robinson and White also discussed plans to kill another potential witness. A third defendant, Keshawn Woods, has pleaded guilty in connection with the case and is awaiting sentencing.

Sentencing for White and Robinson is scheduled for January 30, 2026. They face mandatory life sentences in federal prison.

Miami, FL

A woman has been charged in the death of her 9-month-old son after he ingested lethal amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine. Natalia Munoz-Paulino, 26, faces second-degree murder and aggravated child abuse charges.

The boy was pronounced dead on July 2. A probable cause arrest affidavit details that police responded to a local hospital, where the child was reported deceased.

Upon visiting Munoz-Paulino’s apartment, police discovered a disheveled environment, littered with clothing, trash, and old food. Officers intervened to prevent the boy’s older sibling from consuming baby oil from a bottle.

Munoz-Paulino stated she fell asleep while holding her son and woke to find him unresponsive. However, she provided varying accounts to investigators, claiming the boy had fallen, drowned, or choked.

The suspect mentioned her son had a history of placing foreign objects in his mouth. An autopsy revealed eggshells and feathers present in his stomach alongside the drugs discovered in his system.

The cause of death was determined to be a homicide stemming from child neglect, attributed to the presence of narcotics. Munoz-Paulino admitted to using drugs over the weekend preceding her son’s death.

She remains in custody at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center with no bond and has pleaded not guilty. The boy’s father, residing out of state, reported previous observations of drug use at the apartment.

Deltona man stabs father and threatens children with knife

Deltona, FL A 22-year-old man was arrested after he allegedly stabbed his father with a hunting knife and threatened four children. Trevor Nieves-Gonzalez faces two counts of aggravated assault, four counts of child abuse, and one count of resisting an officer with violence.

Volusia County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call for an active fight around 12:30 p.m. on Sunday. The victim informed dispatchers that his son had just stabbed him.

Body camera footage from responding deputies showed Nieves-Gonzalez holding the knife while his father pleaded with officers. The father attempted to convince his son to drop the weapon as a deputy ordered both men to comply.

Nieves-Gonzalez eventually dropped the knife and was taken into custody after resisting arrest. He allegedly spit on a deputy and shouted threats during the encounter.

The father sustained a stab wound to the back of the head and an injury to his eye. He stated that his son had been drinking prior to the incident, during which an argument escalated after Nieves-Gonzalez broke a necklace.

According to law enforcement, Nieves-Gonzalez also threatened to kill four children aged two to eleven who were present. He reportedly stated, “I’ll kill these kids, too,” while pointing the knife at them.

Nieves-Gonzalez was booked into the Volusia County Jail on a $90,000 bond. His next court date is set for December 4.

Former judge arrested for threatening wife and friend

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. — John Cris Helton, a former city judge in East Ridge, Tennessee, was arrested on Sept. 28 after allegedly sending a threatening text message to his wife and her friend. Police reported that Helton, 63, sent the message shortly after midnight on the same day.

The text included a photo of a “large black and silver kitchen knife” along with a message that read, “I take that back I will kill both of you first.” Helton reportedly sent the message in a group text that included his wife and her friend.

Helton’s wife informed police that she feared for her life after receiving the threat and stated she did not want to be near Helton. The complaint did not provide details regarding the context of the message or any prior history of threats or violence involving the couple.

When police interviewed Helton, he admitted to sending both the photo and the accompanying message. Authorities noted that the image showed the kitchen knife on Helton’s lap, and he was dressed in the same clothing during the interview as he was in the photo.

Helton has been charged with making a written threat to kill or do bodily harm. He was booked into jail on a $50,000 bond, which he posted on Sept. 30. A judge ordered that Helton not contact his wife, and he is set for arraignment on Nov. 3.

The incident highlights ongoing concerns regarding domestic violence and threats, emphasizing vigilance and support for victims.

A former judge faces serious charges after allegedly threatening his wife and a friend in a chilling text message.

Miami woman accused of murder, hiding body in Holiday Inn

MIAMI, FL – A 39-year-old woman was arrested for allegedly murdering a man inside a Holiday Inn room and subsequently hiding his body under a bed. Elizabeth Hernandez faces charges of first-degree murder, grand theft, and fraudulent use of a credit card following the death of Jason Anderson.

The victim’s body was discovered by a maintenance employee who responded to the hotel room to repair a telephone line. “Upon inspecting the telephone line, the maintenance employee discovered the victim’s body underneath the hotel bed prompting him to contact 911,” according to police reports.

Hotel records indicate that Anderson checked into the Holiday Inn Express near Miami International Airport on June 19. His expected check-out date was June 20. Hernandez was reportedly seen on surveillance footage checking in with Anderson and another man, identified as Yoan Guzman-Zequeira, 41.

On June 20, Hernandez was recorded leaving the hotel with Guzman-Zequeira, carrying several bags, including a white plastic bag that may have contained bedding or towels. Police allege she had already killed Anderson and had used his debit card to withdraw cash from his account.

Witnesses stated that Guzman-Zequeira took another individual back to the hotel soon after. The witness noted that the room appeared dirty and disarranged. This led to a sense of discomfort, prompting both men to leave.

Authorities found “several blood drops” in the hotel hallway and bathroom after the maintenance worker’s report. An investigation revealed that Anderson had suffered blunt force trauma and lacerations before his death was deemed a result of “homicidal violence.”

Hernandez is currently being held without bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. Guzman-Zequeira has not been arrested or charged in connection with the incident.

Details continue to unfold in this disturbing case involving violence and deception hidden within a hotel room.

Jet ski racing incident injures two children in Florida

MADEIRA BEACH, FL — A man from New York faces charges after allegedly injuring two children while racing a jet ski on Sunday afternoon. Daniel Grubert, 48, is charged with two counts of boating under the influence causing serious bodily injury and one count of reckless operation of a vessel.

The incident occurred at approximately 2:30 p.m. while Grubert was operating a rented 2024 Yamaha WaveRunner near Johns Pass. Grubert reportedly claimed to have consumed only one alcoholic beverage, a can of Twisted Tea Hard Iced Tea, prior to the crash. He admitted to drinking a single Twisted Tea, according to his arrest affidavit.

Grubert is accused of crashing into another Yamaha WaveRunner operated by 45-year-old Walter Wodzien, who had two children, aged 7 and 8, riding with him. All three were ejected from the jet ski during the collision. The sheriff’s office stated that Grubert was racing another jet ski and “took his eyes off his direction of travel.”

When Grubert realized a crash was imminent, he reportedly jumped off the WaveRunner, allowing it to move unmanned into Wodzien’s jet ski. The Madeira Beach Fire Department recovered the children from the water and transported them to a local hospital. One child suffered life-threatening injuries, while the other sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Investigators noted signs of impairment in Grubert, including an odor of alcohol on his breath and red eyes. He performed poorly on field sobriety tests and was arrested on the scene. Grubert remains in custody at the Pinellas County Jail.

The incident has drawn attention to the dangers of reckless boating behavior.

A New York man faces serious charges after his jet ski racing led to injuries of two children in Florida.