The disturbing footage shows a University of Florida pre-medical student stabbing his mother “in excess of 70 times” after concealing a knife behind his back.
Emmanuel Espinoza, 21, was arrested on Saturday after confessing to stabbing his mother, 46-year-old elementary school teacher Elvia Espinoza, when she opened the front door to him.
Mr. Espinoza had been invited by his mother to stay at her home in Frostproof, Florida, before a family gathering for his grandfather.
Distressing footage shows the 21-year-old casually approaching his mother’s front door at 2 p.m. on Saturday while sporting dark sunglasses, light blue trousers, and a navy blue shirt.
As he waits for his mother to answer the door, Mr. Espinoza conceals a knife behind his back.
“He knocked on the door, and his gorgeous mother was overjoyed to see her son. “She opened the door,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said during a press briefing while playing the video.
Mr. Judd claimed Mr. Espinoza charged into the house and began stabbing his mother the moment the door was opened.
According to the sheriff, Mr. Espinoza informed investigators that he knew just where to stab his mother for maximum impact because of his biology classes.
“We have additional recordings that we’re not going to play from inside the house, where [his mother] is shouting, ‘Manny, Manny, Manny,’ and he doesn’t say anything.” He stabbed her more than 70 times,” Sheriff Judd added.
Mr. Espinoza allegedly continued to stab his mother as she attempted to get up from the floor. “He said he noticed her hands were still moving, so he stabbed her some more,” the sheriff added.
He went on to say that the University of Florida student told detectives that, while he loved his mother, he “wanted to kill her for years” because “she got on my nerves.”.
He further admitted to detectives that he had injured his hand on the knife while killing his mother.
“And as he stood at the kitchen sink, washing himself and the knife, he wanted to ask his mother for Neosporin to treat the cut on his hand. “But he realized she was dead.”
Mr. Espinoza contacted 911 shortly after the grisly murder and confessed to dispatchers what he had done.
The 21-year-old has been cooperating with investigators and is facing first-degree murder charges, according to Sheriff Judd.
Following her death, condolences were given to Elvia Espinoza, a second-grade teacher at Frostproof Ben Hill Griffin Jr. Elementary School.
“Her pupils and colleagues adored her, and her abrupt, unexpected passing is a heartbreaking loss. “She was a very special member of her school family,” the school district stated.
“Elvia was full of life and adored her family, particularly her grandchildren. Another tribute stated that Elvia cherished spending time with her family and was a bright spot in everyone’s lives.
