Florida man allegedly broke into his ex-girlfriend’s apartment with one screwdriver, then stabbed her with a second upon finding her with another man
He claimed the two were still cordial after their break-up.
A man in Sarasota, Florida, was accused of fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend in the neck with a screwdriver after allegedly breaking into her home and finding her in bed with another man. 32-year-old Josue Zepeda-Urbina is now facing charges of three counts of burglary of an occupied dwelling and second-degree murder in connection with the death of 31-year-old Cheyna Kimberlin Moreno-Martinez.
According to a press release from the Sarasota Police Department, officers responded to a call about an unresponsive woman at the Applegate Apartments on North Lockwood Ridge Road around 4 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1. When they arrived, officers found Moreno-Martinez not responding, and she was later declared dead by paramedics a little after 4:30 a.m.
Zepeda-Urbina was identified as the main suspect based on a witness who knew both him and Moreno-Martinez. Investigators believe the case was an isolated incident because Zepeda-Urbina and Moreno-Martinez knew each other.
Ex-girlfriend allegedly invited suspect over on the night of her death
According to the arrest report, Moreno-Martinez’s female roommate, who has known the suspect and victim for 15 years, told investigators that she woke up in the early hours of the morning to hear Zepeda-Urbina yell something like “I told you,” per Law&Crime. She claimed to have also heard Moreno-Martinez respond with a “no,” WFLA reported. When she entered the room, the roommate found Moreno-Martinez sitting on her bed with blood on her neck.
Another witness, a man who was in bed with Moreno-Martinez at the time of the incident, alleged that Zepeda-Urbina entered the room and turned on the lights. Upon seeing them, Zepeda-Urbina allegedly told the couple, “This is serious. Who is this?” The man claims Zepeda-Urbina then used a screwdriver to fatally stab Moreno-Martinez in the neck.
The roommate told investigators that Zepeda-Urbina fled the scene in a silver Nissan vehicle. Officers later received an alert about the vehicle’s location and arrested Zepeda-Urbina without incident near the intersection of Beneva Road and Fruitville Road around 5 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 2.
Parts of Zepeda-Urbina’s statement to the police were reportedly redacted. However, he claimed he and Moreno-Martinez used to be in a relationship. Despite the separation, he alleged the two remained friendly with each other and that Moreno-Martinez brought him dinner on the night of her death before telling him to “come by later,” per the arrest report.
Suspect is booked with no bond in Florida jail
When Zepeda-Urbina arrived at the Florida apartment, he claimed the doors were locked, so he retrieved two screwdrivers from his vehicle and used one to unlock the door. Zepeda-Urbina allegedly told investigators that upon entering the room and seeing Moreno-Martinez having sexual relations with another man, he stabbed the mattress and then stabbed Moreno-Martinez once with the screwdriver. Afterwards, he went to buy cigarettes at 7-Eleven before he was arrested.
Zepeda-Urbina was booked into Sarasota County Jail, where he remains in custody without bond. He is slated to make a court appearance on Dec. 4.
Under Florida law, burglary of an occupied dwelling is typically classified as a second-degree felony, which can carry up to $10,000 in fines and a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. However, if the burglary involves property damage, assault, or weapons, it can be elevated to a first-degree felony, potentially resulting in a sentence of up to life in prison.
Second-degree murder, on the other hand, is a first-degree felony. Those convicted may face a $10,000 fine, a maximum sentence of life in prison with a minimum of 16 years, and a lifetime of probation.
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