DAVENPORT, Fla. — Polk County Sheriff Judd said they have arrested a 19-year-old for the stabbing death of a 67-year-old retired nurse.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Sheriff Judd said a neighbor of Joseph Torneo, 67, contacted the sheriff's office on Sunday after not seeing him for a couple of days.
Torneo had a 19-year-old living with him as a roommate. Torneo had allegedly kicked the 19-year-old out of the house for not paying rent.
PCSO checked the area around the home but saw nothing unusual and left.
Sheriff Judd said neighbors went back to the home and found Toreno's dead body behind a locked door.
The deputy who initially searched the home has been taken off the street for more training, Sheriff Judd said.
After following leads, PCSO was able to link the 19-year-old to the stabbing and arrested Julian Andre Trevino. Sheriff Judd said Trevino confessed to killing Toreno.
The suspect said he was angry about being thrown out of the home. He went back to the house and robbed the home while Toreno was asleep.
Toreno woke up, and the suspect got a knife and stabbed the victim. Sheriff Judd said he also used a wine bottle to beat him multiple times.
Trevino had no criminal record.
He is in custody on multiple felonies, including first-degree murder.
"They have absolute power. They control everything."
An elderly Pasco County homeowner has been living as a fugitive for six months, hiding in another state after her HOA obtained an arrest warrant over unpaid fines and fees stemming from violations. Tampa Bay 28 I-Team Investigator Adam Walser has been covering the unchecked power and growing influence of HOAs in Florida for years and spoke with Ying Pang about her issues.
