A 19-year-old in Florida has been charged with murder after a retired nurse who had thrown him out of his home was found dead inside a locked bedroom. Police say the suspect left such an obvious trail behind him that the local sheriff described the case as remarkably easy to follow.
The victim was 67-year-old John Joseph Torneo. According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, he had let Julian Trevino stay at his house, but later evicted him because the teenager had not paid rent and had not helped to look after the property.
A Check That Missed the Body
Sheriff Grady Judd explained at a press briefing that a neighbor called 911 after not seeing Torneo for several days. A deputy came to the house and stayed outside while the neighbor went in. The neighbor could not find Torneo, so the deputy assumed he was simply not at home.
The neighbor kept trying to reach him. Later, the neighbor went back inside with other neighbors, and together they found a locked door. They removed it and discovered Torneo’s body. The neighbor also told officers that Torneo had recently changed the locks after evicting his roommate, and that his vehicle was missing.
A Trail Straight to the Suspect
Deputies found that someone was using Torneo’s credit cards, and identified Trevino. According to the sheriff, he had used one at the pizza restaurant where he worked as a dishwasher. "This is what we call a slow-pitch criminal investigation," Judd said.
Officers found the missing vehicle and kept watch on it until Trevino climbed in. When they tried to arrest him, he drove off. "In his urge to get away from us, he ran into a ditch, crashed the car, jumped out, and ran on foot," Judd said. Officers soon caught him.
What Police Say He Admitted
Authorities say Trevino confessed. He reportedly told them he was "really angry" when Torneo kicked him out.
According to Judd, Trevino returned to the house at around 3 or 4 a.m. on Sunday and broke in through a bathroom window. He allegedly hid in a closet and waited until he heard Torneo settle in for the night. He then began taking cash and credit cards, and the sheriff said Torneo woke up while this was happening.
Investigators say Trevino told them he stabbed his former roommate and then beat him with a wine bottle until he died. He said he threw the knife and the bottle into a nearby creek, where officers later recovered them.
Where the Case Stands
Trevino now faces a long list of charges. They include first-degree murder, armed robbery, armed burglary, burglary, tampering with evidence, obtaining property by force and criminal use of personal identification.
The details come from the sheriff’s account of what the suspect allegedly told investigators, and the charges are accusations that have yet to be tested in court. For now, the teenager is in custody, while neighbors who refused to let a missing person go unchecked are the reason Torneo was found at all.
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Source: Daily Express US
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