KEY WEST, Fla. – A 79-year-old Stock Island man was arrested Saturday in the stabbing death of a 68-year-old homeless man.
Manuel Garcia-Avila was charged with murder and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
The release of the victim’s name is pending notification of next-of-kin.
Deputies Freddy Rodriguez and Lazaro Valdes responded to the 5000 block of 5th Avenue on Stock Island — an address near an area known colloquially as “La Curva” — at 5:17 p.m. regarding an unknown problem. They found the victim sitting on a chair outside and bleeding heavily. A kitchen knife with blood on it was on a nearby table.
The victim was taken to Lower Keys Medical Center on Stock Island whereupon he was pronounced dead at 7:07 p.m.
A witness gave the following account of what transpired to Detective Boyd Williams who translated Spanish for Major Crimes Unit Detective Sgt. Barney Sajdak and Detective Cody Kerns: Garcia-Avila sleeps in the shack at the property. The witness saw the victim earlier in the day and invited him back to the property where they began drinking beer and talking. Garcia-Avila awoke and became angry that the victim was on the property. The witness stated Garcia-Avila grabbed a knife and stabbed the victim in the chest. The witness intervened and stopped Garcia-Avila from stabbing the victim again.
Garcia-Avila was interviewed. Detective Williams again translated for Major Crimes Unit Detectives. When asked his address, Garcia-Avila stated, where he had “stabbed that guy earlier.” Garcia-Avila stated he was woken by the witness and the victim and when he walked outside he became enraged at the sight of the victim. Garcia-Avila stated he knows the victim as they were friends in the past and had previously fished together.
Garcia-Avila stated this was not the first time he had stabbed the victim. Garcia-Avila stated stabbed the victim in a previous incident after the victim fraudulently used the witness’ ATM card. Garcia-Avila stated he served eight months in county jail for that previous stabbing, before the victim dropped the charges. Garcia-Avila stated he didn’t want the victim on the property due to this past history between them.
Thus, Garcia-Avila told the victim to leave when the victim allegedly threatened him. Garcia-Avila stated he then retrieved the knife and stabbed the victim. Garcia-Avila stated he was aiming for the victim’s heart. Garcia-Avila stated he intended to kill the victim. Garcia-Avila stated the victim never put his hands on him as he never gave the victim a chance to do so. Garcia-Avila stated he would have continued to stab the victim had the witness not intervened.
The victim in this case was identified as 68-year-old Jesus Gonzalez Noa. His address was listed as the streets of Key West.
Garcia-Avila was booked into jail.
