Prosecutors Refute ‘Passion’ Killing
A Florida man who stabbed his girlfriend to death and then drove their children to school has been convicted of second-degree murder after prosecutors successfully argued his actions were premeditated, not a crime of passion.
On May 29, 2024, Farel Torres, 38, fatally stabbed his girlfriend, Vanessa Santiago, 34, inside their apartment. He then left her body on the bedroom floor before taking their two children to school. Hours later, Torres, hysterical, called police, telling a dispatcher, “I stabbed her in the head… I stabbed her ’cause I was mad.”
At trial, however, Seminole County prosecutors Domenick Leo, Jacob Polk, and Sarah Mian presented evidence to dismantle Torres’ claim of a “fit of passion.”
The prosecution showed that Torres had retrieved a steak knife from the kitchen and disabled a security camera in the bedroom, suggesting a deliberate act. Mian stated, “Abuse is not about love, abuse is about control, and we successfully took that control away from the defendant.”
The jury also saw harrowing video evidence from the apartment showing the couple’s children were home during the fight and stabbing, and that one of the boys walked in on the act before Torres ushered him out of the room.
Evidence from Torres’ mobile phone further revealed a chilling sequence of events after he dropped the children off. He returned to the apartment, accessed Santiago’s phone, copied her credit card information, and transferred funds to his own account. He then called family members before finally contacting police.
Santiago had previously reported Torres for domestic violence and was in the process of breaking up with him and kicking him out of the apartment, which she leased and paid for.
After a four-day trial, the jury deliberated for just 14 minutes before finding Torres guilty of second-degree murder on September 18. He now faces up to life in prison. Sentencing has been scheduled for November 5.
“No child should have to experience that type of loss,” said prosecutor Jacob Polk. “I’m just glad that Vanessa has a close-knit family that have leaned on their faith in God to help them through this grieving process.”
READ: Maryland Jury Convicts Three MS-13 Members In Racketeering, Murder Case
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