MIAMI – A woman told police officers on Wednesday that she walked into a Miami home in a quiet neighborhood near Coral Way to check up on her 93-year-old father, and she found that he had been stabbed to death.
Priscilla Neves said she was taking out the garbage from her home after 9 a.m. when she saw dozens of Miami police officers descending on her neighbor’s home at 2345 SW 22 Terr.
“I am afraid,” Neves said, adding that the area is calm.
Crime scene technicians were at the scene until 12:30 p.m. Thursday. Neighbors said they dusted a white car for fingerprints that was parked outside the three-bedroom home, which records show is owned by Humberto Mijares.
Rita “Marta” Ramirez, one of the victim’s neighbors, said he was very kind and he loved cats and dogs. She said he was always walking around the neighborhood and he was never too shy to greet his neighbors.
“He was very friendly,” Ramirez said.
Another neighbor, Teresita Menendez, said she first got suspicious the night before, around 8 p.m., when she found the victim’s German Shepard mix named Whiskey wandering around alone.
When the elderly man didn’t answer her call, she phoned a family member.
Ramirez told police officers that she saw a suspicious car on Tuesday with three people — including a man who was looking around the neighborhood.
“Detectives are still investigating leads and possible motives,” said Officer Michael Vega, a spokesman for the Miami Police Department.
Cmdr. Freddie Cruz, also a spokesman for the department, said it was a “horrific crime.” He also said detectives are considering the possibility that there was more than one person involved in the murder.
“I can tell you that we are talking to neighbors, possible witnesses, reviewing cameras in the area,” Cruz said.
Detectives are asking anyone with information about the murder to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.
NOON REPORT