HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLA. — A Tampa murder suspect on vacation from Spain was denied bail at a pretrial detention hearing on Wednesday.
Diego Ponce Molina, 41, appeared in a Hillsborough County courtroom for a pretrial detention hearing.
He has been charged with first-degree murder.
Tampa Police Department officials said he stabbed a man to death on April 10 near the train tracks on East Zack Street.
A judge ruled that Ponce Molina would be held without bond as he awaits trial because he remains a danger to the community, according to the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office, 13th Judicial Circuit.
According to a Hillsborough County criminal report, Ponce Molina called 911 claiming to have found a deceased male.
When Tampa officers arrived, he was standing next to the victim holding a large knife covered in blood. He was then taken into custody.
Detectives located video surveillance footage which showed Ponce Molina walking twice by the victim, who was lying on the ground. He then comes back and leans down before his arm swings up and down where the victim was lying, the report stated. The victim suffered multiple wounds to his upper body.
The two men did not appear to know each other, officials said. Ponce Molina was on vacation from Spain when he was arrested.
He will be arraigned at a later date.
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