A 79-year-old Stock Island man was arrested Saturday in the
stabbing death of a 68-year-old homeless man.
Manuel Garcia-Avila was charged with murder and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
The release of the victim’s name is pending notification of
next-of-kin.
Deputies Freddy Rodriguez and Lazaro Valdes responded to the
5000 block of 5th Avenue on Stock Island — an address near an area
known colloquially as “La Curva” — at 5:17 p.m. regarding an unknown problem.
They found the victim sitting on a chair outside and bleeding heavily. A
kitchen knife with blood on it was on a nearby table.
The victim was taken to Lower Keys Medical Center on Stock
Island whereupon he was pronounced dead at 7:07 p.m.
A witness gave the following account of what transpired to
Detective Boyd Williams who translated Spanish for Major Crimes Unit Detective
Sgt. Barney Sajdak and Detective Cody Kerns: Garcia-Avila sleeps in the shack
at the property. The witness saw the victim earlier in the day and invited him
back to the property where they began drinking beer and talking. Garcia-Avila
awoke and became angry that the victim was on the property. The witness stated
Garcia-Avila grabbed a knife and stabbed the victim in the chest. The witness
intervened and stopped Garcia-Avila from stabbing the victim again.
Garcia-Avila was interviewed. Detective Williams again
translated for Major Crimes Unit Detectives. When asked his address,
Garcia-Avila stated, where he had “stabbed that guy earlier.” Garcia-Avila
stated he was woken by the witness and the victim and when he walked outside he
became enraged at the sight of the victim. Garcia-Avila stated he knows the
victim as they were friends in the past and had previously fished together.
Garcia-Avila stated this was not the first time he had
stabbed the victim. Garcia-Avila stated stabbed the victim in a previous
incident after the victim fraudulently used the witness’ ATM card. Garcia-Avila
stated he served eight months in county jail for that previous stabbing, before
the victim dropped the charges. Garcia-Avila stated he didn’t want the victim
on the property due to this past history between them.
Thus, Garcia-Avila told the victim to leave when the victim
allegedly threatened him. Garcia-Avila stated he then retrieved the knife and
stabbed the victim. Garcia-Avila stated he was aiming for the victim’s heart.
Garcia-Avila stated he intended to kill the victim. Garcia-Avila stated the
victim never put his hands on him as he never gave the victim a chance to do
so. Garcia-Avila stated he would have continued to stab the victim had the
witness not intervened.
Garcia-Avila was booked into jail.
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