Man who strangled pregnant stepmother at cemetery to face murder charge, police say

'I killed my mom,' Ian Magnus Anselmo, 20, said in 911 call

Ian Magnus Anselmo, 20.

EUSTIS, Fla. – Charges against a 20-year-old man accused of beating and strangling his pregnant stepmother last week at Greenwood Cemetery in Lake County will be upgraded following the victim's death, police said.

Officials with the Eustis Police Department said Ian Magnus Anselmo called 911 last week and said, "I killed my mom, she's dead," according to an arrest warrant filed by Eustis police detectives. He also said, "I strangled her," 911 calls revealed.

Recommended Videos



[PREVIOUS STORY: Man accused of attempting to strangle pregnant stepmother at Eustis cemetery]

Police said they arrived to find the woman, identified as Sue-Ellen Kathleen Anselmo, in the driver's seat of a car, bleeding from the nose and mouth with a cord wrapped around her neck. Lake County paramedics took her to AdventHealth Waterman Hospital in critical condition where medical staff were able to resuscitate her.

In an updated news release, Eustis police said she died Monday afternoon at Orlando Regional Medical Center.

The arrest warrant does not state why the victim and Anselmo were at Greenwood Cemetery.

Investigators said they learned at the hospital that the woman was six weeks pregnant and her family,  including the suspect, knew about the pregnancy.

Police said Anselmo told them at the scene that his dad was going to be very upset.

Anselmo was initially charged with attempted second-degree murder and aggravated battery on a pregnant victim, but police said Monday that detectives will work with the State Attorney's Office to charge him with second-degree homicide.


Recommended Videos