Son stabs mother visiting from Mexico to death inside Brickell luxury high-rise, Miami police said
A man is now behind bars after police say he stabbed his mother to death inside a luxury high-rise in Brickell early Friday morning, Miami police say.
Stefano Eduardo Cremascocicero, 36, has been charged with felony 2nd-degree murder with a weapon, according to his arrest form.
The situation took place at the Solitair Brickell Apartments located at Southwest 8th Street and 1st Avenue around 4:45 a.m., according to Miami police.
According to his arrest report, officers found Cremascocicero when they arrived at the building's lobby, covered in blood on his shoes, hands, and clothing.
The report said that he told officers, "I was defending myself," and directed them to the apartment where they found an adult woman lying on her side in a recovery position, fully clothed, covered in blood, and suffering from multiple stab wounds.
Investigators say they reviewed security footage and key fob logs that placed him with the unidentified victim at the Solitair building the night of the stabbing.
According to police, the two entered and exited the building together. At around 4:30 a.m., Cremascocicero was captured on elevator footage wearing bloody clothes and shoes and carrying a knife, investigators said.
Police say he left the building briefly, then returned to the lobby and asked a witness who had entered the building to deliver food to call 911.
Cremascocicero's wife, who is listed as a second witness in the arrest report but police note was out of the country at the time of the stabbing, told investigators that he and his mother were not very close ever since the divorce of his parents.
She noted that the victim was visiting from Mexico and staying with the defendant at the Brickell high-rise apartment building.
She also said she does not believe her husband has any mental health issues, but noted he was under stress due to opening a new restaurant in Coconut Grove.
Cremascocicero appeared in bond court Saturday morning. He has an ICE hold and was remanded to pre-trial detention after a magistrate found there was probable cause.
Witnesses and officials spoke out about the incident before an arrest was made
Zack Karson said he walked out of his apartment early Friday morning to a gruesome scene.
"I heard some noise this morning, like 4:30 a.m.," he said. "I woke up to it. I didn't know what I heard. I rounded the corner and just saw the yellow police tape. And then I heard some keys, and then I saw four cops and a body with a pool of blood."
He said he went right back inside his apartment.
"I locked my balcony door. I locked my front door. And I kind of just looked through the peephole for 10 minutes until I took the stairs 47 floors down," he said.
Karson also said, "I feel horrible about what happened. I would love to have more information."
CBS News Miami also spoke with Chris Salas, who said he lives on the 32nd floor of the building.
He said, "I think they need to figure out what was going on. I want to know what happened. I live here, and I pay good rent, and I want to feel safe in my own building."
City of Miami Police Spokeswoman Kenia Fallat said there was no threat to the public.
"I pray for the family and friends of the person who did get hurt or anything elsewhere, because I would feel really horrible if I heard about anybody that I'm close with that got hurt. I don't know what to say. I'm really shocked. Really, I'm so sad for them," said a woman who didn't want to be identified.
Cremascocicero is now behind bars, and it is unclear when he is next scheduled to appear in court.