POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A homicide investigation kicked off in Bartow after the “violent death” of an 81-year-old man who was stabbed 113 times at a group home, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
The man, identified as Patrick Benway, was found dead at an independent living group home, owned by ET Care, on Bluebird Avenue.
According to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, Benway was last seen alive Saturday evening and was discovered “obviously deceased” Sunday after he didn’t show up for breakfast.
On Monday, Judd announced that deputies had arrested 18-year-old Moses Ojeda in his death.
According to the sheriff’s office, Ojeda was one of Benway’s three roommates, and he’d just moved in a day before Benway’s death after being released from a local hospital.
“Ojeda told detectives that he did not have any problems with (Benway) and described him as a good person,” a release from the sheriff’s office reads.
Deputies said that Ojeda confirmed he’d entered Benway’s bedroom and stabbed the 81-year-old over 100 times as he was lying down.
While Benway didn’t resist, he reportedly asked Ojeda, “Why would you want to do this to me?” before dying from his injuries, investigators added.
“Ojeda stated he has no regrets and he wanted to kill (Benway) because he was ‘already dying,’” sheriff’s officials said. “Following the attack, Ojeda told deputies that he cleaned the knife used and put it back in the kitchen, then removed his blood-stained clothing and placed it in his laundry basket.”
Deputies said Ojeda has no prior criminal record.
Deputies said that the evidence matched Ojeda’s story, and he was ultimately arrested.
He now faces charges of first-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence.