Did a Martin County, Florida man randomly stab an elderly woman multiple times because ‘she looked Jewish’? Kersten Francilus now faces first degree murder after stabbing woman in her 70’s walking her dog in South Wood Community.
A Florida man is accused of randomly attacking a woman in her 70’s while walking her small dog, stabbing her multiple times before killing her.
Kersten Francilus, 25, following his arrest Thursday afternoon was charged with first-degree murder in the attack according to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
‘He stabbed her … upwards of 16 times and was actively stabbing her while the responding deputy responded to the scene,’ a prosecutor said in court Friday, according to WPTV. ‘He spoke to law enforcement and [said] he killed her. When asked to describe her … the only way he could describe her was that she was Jewish.’
Was victim stabbed because the suspect believed her to be Jewish?
Officials to date declined to publicly identify the victim nor comment on whether the victim had been specifically targeted because the suspect believed them to be Jewish.
Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek told reporters that neighbors initially called 911 after Francilus was knocking on doors and asking people about a ‘new bank.’
‘There’s no bank around here,’ Budensiek said of the South Wood Community where Francilus had gone knocking doors in the retirement community before the suspect coming across the victim walking her dog.
As deputies were en route, they received more calls about the suspect on top of the woman, ‘actively stabbing her.’ Prior to deputies arrival a neighbor had sought to stop the suspect but was unable to contain the 25-year-old who had continued to stab at the victim multiple times.
Paramedics rushed the woman to the hospital where doctors pronounced her dead. Budensiek said the suspect lives with his mom and wife in another neighborhood nearby.
Florida authorities continue to investigate murder motive
‘At this point, this appears like an extremely violent, random act of violence, really an odd set of circumstances for this nice neighborhood,’ said Budensiek. ‘… We just simply know that we’ve had a horrendous crime that’s taken place in this neighborhood.’
Investigators went to Francilus’ home and his family members identified the weapon he used as a steak knife from their kitchen, cops said. Deputies had responded to the home before about Francilus acting strangely but had no other calls for service, according to Budensiek.
Francilus remains held at the Martin County Jail without bond.
No murder motive was immediately known. The investigation continues to remain active.
