Shortly after the incident, Manny Espinosa contacted emergency services
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd called the case “one of the most bizarre” they have ever encountered, and new details have emerged. Emmanuel “Manny” Espinoza, a 21-year-old pre-med student, is accused of fatally stabbing his 46-year-old mother, Elvia Espinoza, on Saturday afternoon. Elvia Espinoza. fox news the report said.
According to Sheriff Judd, Espinoza planned to visit his mother under the pretense of visiting his grandfather. Elvia Espinosa reportedly invited him to stay at her home.
Sheriff Judd said Manny arrived at his mother’s residence around 2 p.m., and he then showed footage from a doorbell camera that captured Manny entering the home, allegedly with him behind him shortly before the reported assault. A knife was hidden.
When the man arrived at the front door, he was listening to the song “There’s No Church in the Wild.”
“His beautiful mother was so excited to see her son that she opened the door. As soon as she opened the door, he rushed in and started stabbing her,” Judd said.
Authorities have not released the recordings from the home due to the sensitivity of the evidence. However, Sheriff Judd described that Elvia Espinoza kept yelling “Manny” during the incident, while the suspect remained silent.
“He stated that because of the biology class he had taken, he knew where to stab her for maximum effect,” Judd said.
The sheriff said Manny was described as a “genius, very smart”.
Photo of Emmanuel Espinoza, Polk County Jail, DOB 06/12/2002 – Charged with first degree murder in the stabbing death of his mother, 46-year-old Elvia Espinoza Elvia Espinoza https://t.co/tRxxqTGkCZpic.twitter.com/Ts3lsi73dU
— Polk County Sheriff 🚔 Grady Judd (@PolkCoSheriff) April 7, 2024
Sheriff Judd said the investigation revealed the victim suffered multiple stab wounds during the attack. He added that the attacks continued even as Elvia Espinoza tried to defend herself.
“He said he noticed her hand was still moving, so he stabbed her several more times. He then told detectives in his confession that he cut his hand with the knife while stabbing his mother. He was standing in the kitchen at the time “At the sink.” Judd said: “He cleaned himself and the knife and wanted to ask his mother for neosporin to treat the wound on his hand, but he found her dead.”
Chief Judd confirmed that Manny Espinosa contacted emergency services shortly after the incident. A recording of the call was provided to the media, in which Espinosa reportedly admitted his involvement in his mother’s death.
“I want you to understand that she was the perfect mom. I want you to understand that she was very proud of his accomplishments. And then I want you to understand that he viciously murdered her and admitted it,” Judd said.
Chief Judd continued that investigators were trying to understand the suspect’s motive during the interview.
“We said, ‘Do you love her?’ He said, ‘Oh, I love her.'” We said, “Do you guys get along?” And he said, ‘Yeah, it’s an 8 out of 10, we get along great. , but I’ve been wanting to kill her for years, and I decided as I was driving up from Gainesville that today was the day,'” Judd said.
Sheriff Judd emphasized that to their knowledge, Manny Espinosa has no history of substance abuse, mental health issues or previous criminal activity.
“He said at his high school graduation: ‘High school is just one of many chapters in our lives. We have a lot to do in the future that will determine what kind of legacy the class leaves. The class of 2020 will be left behind ,” Chief Judd said.
“This is one of the most bizarre murder cases we’ve dealt with in a long time,” Judd said. “When you see that he left behind a family that loved him, a mother who adored her children, and at this moment, It is incomprehensible what happened that day when she should be creating a future and educating our second grade students at Ben Hill Griffin Elementary School.”
Manny Espinosa was booked into the Polk County Jail and charged with first-degree murder.
