MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – A Miami Gardens man turned himself in at a Hialeah police station Saturday and confessed to killing his wife and mother-in-law, authorities said.
Jose Echevarria, 56, faces two counts of second-degree murder.
After Echevarria confessed, Miami Gardens police officers responded to his home in the 3300 block of Northwest 175th Street and found the women dead inside, authorities said. No one else was in the home when officers arrived, police said.
Police identified the victims as Marlene Gonzalez, 47, and Carmen Alfonso, 66. Police did not say how the women were killed.
According to family members, Echevarria and Gonzalez were having marital problems and going through a separation, police said.
Neighbors were shocked when they heard about the two deaths.
“If they say that he committed a homicide, I couldn't believe it, not in my wildest dreams,” Edward Oleabhiele said.
Neighbors said Echevarria worked as a welder, and that he and Gonzalez had a young son together.
"Like, he killed the old lady. That’s crazy. Killed the wife," Rashad Rowe said. "They looked like a good family."
Echevarria is currently being held without bond at Miami-Dade County's Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.