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University of Florida pre-med student drove to mom's house, stabbed her to death, sheriff says

Man driving in for family event asked his mom if he could stay with her, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd says
University of Florida
Posted at 3:23 PM, Apr 07, 2024
and last updated 2024-04-07 17:04:22-04

FROSTPROOF, Fla. — A pre-med student at the University of Florida drove to his mother's Polk County home on Saturday and stabbed her to death, according to a news release from the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a news conference video posted on social media that Emmanuel Espinoza, 21, was driving in for a family event and asked his mom if he could stay with her. She agreed.

"He knocked on the front door, and when mom opened the door, he began to stab her and he stabbed her many times, Judd said. "She ran from him. She was talking to a family member on the phone. And in addition to that he stabbed her until she fell down and died."

When deputies talked to Espinoza, he said he had wanted to kill his mother for many years because she "got on his nerves," according to Judd.

Espinoza's mother, Elvia Espinoza, 46, was a second-grade teacher at Ben Hill Griffin Elementary School in Frostproof.

Espinoza called 911 after the stabbing, confessed to killing his mother and was arrested. He will be charged with first-degree murder.

Watch the entire press conference video below: