Police have arrested a man accused of murdering an elderly man, whose body was found by his daughter, inside of his Miami home.
City of Miami Police announced the arrest of 56-year-old Silverio Fonte, Thursday afternoon. Investigators said he stabbed and killed 93-year-old Humberto Mujares at his home along Southwest 22nd Terrace and 23rd Avenue.
According to the arrest report, police stated that a tip from a witness who is known to the alleged killer helped them arrest Fonte.
The witness said Fonte and Mujares allegedly got into an argument, and when Mujares pulled out a gun, Fonte grabbed a knife and stabbed the 93-year-old multiple times before taking off.
The tipster noted that the alleged killer may have been at Mercy Hospital’s Crisis Center, where he voluntarily admits himself, and that’s where investigators found the 56-year-old wearing shoes carrying the victim’s blood and with a stolen credit card.
The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner removed the body of the elderly victim from the home at around 5 a.m.
“Obviously, they’re still looking for clues and things to figure out who the perpetrator was,” neighbor Maria Capote said. “I go out for a walk every morning, and you never see this kind of activity. I mean, it’s tragic, and I can’t even begin to imagine what just happened.”
Police said a woman found her father’s body lying in a pool of blood on Wednesday after she stopped by to check on him.
“When she arrived, she discovered his lifeless body,” Miami Police Commander Freddie Cruz said. “She immediately called 911.”
Neighbors said Mujares was active and nice to everyone.
Teresita Menendez, who lives across from the victim, said it was odd when she saw the victim’s dog alone the night before.
“He was just walking in front of his house, and then, I just open a little gate and put the dog inside,” she said.
She tried reaching out to her neighbor but did not receive a response.
Fonte has been booked at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in West Miami-Dade. He has been charged with second-degree murder with a weapon and is being held without bond.
