Florida – In a harrowing act of violence that shocked Florida residents, an 18-year-old man, identified as M. Ojeda, has been charged with first-degree murder after stabbing an 81-year-old man, identified as P. Benway, with whom he lived in a group home and described as a “good person.”
According to reports, Ojeda, who had just moved into the group home a day before the deadly attack, is now facing first-degree murder and evidence tampering charges for the brutal killing of Benway. According to the sheriff’s office, Ojeda stabbed Benway over 100 times as he lay in his bed inside the home they shared with three other residents. The facility was operated by a private provider responsible for supervising individuals in need of housing support.
Authorities say the murder unfolded in the early morning hours of Sunday, when Ojeda entered Benway’s room while the elderly man was resting in bed. According to Ojeda’s own confession, Benway did not resist the attack, but rather asked him, “Why would you want to do this to me?” before succumbing to his injuries. Despite the violent nature of the killing, Ojeda reportedly admitted during questioning that he did not have any issues with Benway and even described the elderly man as a “good person.” Still, when asked why he committed such a violent act, Ojeda told detectives he did it because Benway was “already dying.”
Sheriff G. Judd described the killing as a “senseless and tragic act of violence” and said that his department worked quickly to arrest Ojeda and secure enough evidence to support the charges. The investigation showed that after the stabbing, Ojeda cleaned the murder weapon — a kitchen knife — and placed it back in its original spot in the butcher block. He then washed off the blood, changed out of his stained clothes, and put them in his laundry basket. Investigators said his actions indicated clear intent and knowledge of wrongdoing.
While Ojeda is likely to mount a mental illness defense, Sheriff Judd made it clear that the evidence strongly suggests premeditation. “It’s a no-brainer that the defense is going to be that of insanity,” Judd said, “but I’m telling you, he had clear criminal intent. He acted with malice, with forethought, and then he went through the effort to hide the weapon.” Detectives confirmed that all physical evidence gathered at the scene, including the weapon, the state of Ojeda’s clothing, and his DNA, supported his version of events. The calculated nature of his actions — from cleaning the knife to concealing bloodied clothes — led law enforcement to firmly reject any claim of temporary insanity without scrutiny.
The tragedy left those who knew Benway reeling. Benway had reportedly enjoyed his life at the group home and was in good spirits just days before his life was taken in one of the most gruesome and heartbreaking crimes local authorities say they’ve seen in recent memory. Ojeda remains in custody as he awaits further court proceedings.
