A 25-year-old man from Florida has been charged with first-degree murder after he repeatedly stabbed a woman in her mid-70s who was walking her dog, in what authorities believe was a random attack.
Kersten Francilus is accused of stabbing the woman upwards of 16 times on Thursday afternoon, according to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
Attack Details
A prosecutor shared in court that Francilus was still actively stabbing the woman when law enforcement arrived at the scene. He reportedly spoke to officers, admitting he killed her. When asked to describe the woman, he could only say she was Jewish.
Witnesses and Response
Neighbors called 911 after seeing Francilus knocking on doors in the neighborhood and asking about a “new bank,” but they reported there was no bank in the area.
As deputies rushed to the scene, they received additional calls about the attack. Witnesses saw Francilus on top of the woman, continuing to stab her. When a deputy arrived, he drew his gun and ordered Francilus to stop. He then surrendered without further resistance.
Victim and Suspect
The woman was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after. Authorities have not released her identity. Sheriff John Budensiek said the victim and Francilus did not have any known connection. The suspect, who lives with his mother and wife in a nearby neighborhood, appears to have acted without any clear motive.
“This appears to be a random and extremely violent act, very unusual for this neighborhood,” Sheriff Budensiek said.
Investigation and Arrest
Investigators went to Francilus’ home and found that the weapon used in the attack was a steak knife from the kitchen. Francilus had previously acted strangely, and deputies had been called to his home, but no significant incidents had been reported.
Neighbors described Francilus as calm when he asked about the bank, and he was not acting confrontational. However, they found it odd that he was asking about a bank in a residential area, which led them to call the authorities.
Francilus is currently in Martin County Jail without bond.
