Man arrested in Pine Hills double homicide (2024)

MINUTES. WELL, THE MAN ACCUSED OF STABBING HIS GIRLFRIEND IN CASSELBERRY YESTERDAY IS SET TO GO BEFORE A JUDGE LATER TODAY. WESH 2’S AT TONY ATKINS IS LIVE AT THE SEMINOLE COUNTY JAIL AND TONY POLICE SAY THEY HAVE RESPONDED TO CALLS INVOLVING THE COUPLE BEFORE THEIR CASSELBERRY. POLICE SAY THEY RESPONDED TO CALLS INVOLVING THIS COUPLE BEFORE. ONCE IN MARCH AND THEN AGAIN IN 2021. THEY SAY THIS COUPLE HAD A CHILD TOGETHER, BUT FORTUNATELY THAT CHILD WASN’T AT HOME AT THE TIME OF THIS MURDER. NOW, FARRELL TORRES IS ACCUSED OF STABBING HIS GIRLFRIEND, 34 YEAR OLD VANESSA MORRIS SANTIAGO, AROUND 9 A.M. YESTERDAY MORNING. OFFICERS SAY TORRES WAS ARRESTED AFTER CALLING 911 HIMSELF, TELLING THE DISPATCHER THAT HE STABBED HIS GIRLFRIEND. POLICE SAY IT HAPPENED AT AN APARTMENT OFF OF CIMARRON BOULEVARD, WHERE INVESTIGATORS SPENT HOURS YESTERDAY GATHERING EVIDENCE. WHEN I LEFT, WE SAW THE ENTIRE COMMOTION OF A LOT OF POLICE CARS. UM, WE SAW FIRE COMING, AND THE AMBULANCE WAS, UM, AFTER THAT, OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS SOME TYPE OF VIOLENCE, BECAUSE WHEN YOU SEE THE YELLOW TAPE, YOU KNOW, IT ISN’T JUST A REGULAR CAUSE. NOW TORRES IS CHARGED WITH MURDER. HE’S SET TO FACE A JUDGE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THIS CASE THIS AFTERNOON AT 2 P.M., REPORTING LIVE AT THE SEMINOLE COUNTY JAIL. TONY ATKINS WESH TWO NEWS. WE ARE NOW LEARNING NEW DETAILS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN HOLLY HILL AFTER AN OFFICER SHOT AND KILLED A MAN. THIS BODY CAM VIDEO GIVES US A LOOK AT THE MOMENTS LEADING UP TO THE SHOOTING TUESDAY AFTERNOON, WHEN OFFICERS GOT THERE, YOU CAN SEE MICHAEL EDMONDSON RUNNING UP TO THE OFFICER WITH A KNIFE IN HIS HAND, WHICH IS WHEN OFFICERS SHOT HIM. HIS MOM CALLED POLICE JUST MINUTES BEFORE WARNING THEM THAT HER SON WAS HAVING A VIOLENT EPISODE. SHERIFF MIKE CHITWOOD, WHOSE DEPARTMENT IS ASSISTING HOLLY HILL, SAID EDMONDSON TRIED TO ATTACK A WOMAN WHO WAS IN THE AREA. THE SHERIFF SAYS EDMONDSON WAS ON TOP OF THE WOMAN WHEN OFFICERS ARRIVED, BUT THE WOMAN WAS NOT HURT. THAT WOMAN, UH, WHO HAS REALLY NO RELATION TO THIS GUY AT ALL, JUST HAPPENED TO BE IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME. SHE COULD HAVE VERY EASILY HAD HER THROAT SLIT OR BEEN STABBED TO DEATH. SO THIS WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. AND IT ENDED UP WHERE, SADLY, THE SUSPECT WHO SUFFERS MENTAL ILLNESS IS DEAD, BUT EVERYBODY ELSE IS SAFE. THE OFFICER WHO SHOT THE MAN IS ON ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES WHILE THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATES. DEVELOPING THIS MORNING OUT OF ORANGE COUNTY, ONE PERSON DIED AFTER A CRASH INVOLVING A LYNX BUS. IT HAPPENED AROUND 730 LAST NIGHT, ALONG NORTH ECON TRAIL AND VALENCIA COLLEGE LANE. FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL SAYS THE BUS WAS TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHEN IT CRASHED INTO A CAR. THE INFINITI THEN WENT OFF THE ROAD, HIT A WALL, FLIPPED OVER AND THEN HIT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE DRIVER IN THE CAR DIED. NO ONE ON THE BUS WAS HURT. IT’S 604 AND COURT WILL RECONVENE THIS MORNING AS JURORS WILL REHEAR PARTS OF THE TESTIMONY FROM FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP’S HUSH MONEY TRIAL. SANIKA DANGE HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THIS CASE ALL WEEK, AND SANIKA A VERDICT COULD COME AS SOON AS TODAY, OR POSSIBLY HAVE DELIBERATIONS EXTEND INTO NEXT WEEK. YET JURIES THE JURORS, RATHER HAVE ALREADY DELIBERATED FOR MORE THAN 4.5 HOURS YESTERDAY, AFTER LENGTHY JURY INSTRUCTIONS THAT LASTED AN HOUR. THE JUDGE WALKED JURORS THROUGH EACH OF THE 34 COUNTS FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP FACES FOR ALLEGEDLY FALSIFYING HIS BUSINESS RECORDS TO COVER UP MICHAEL COHEN’S PAYOFF OF STORMY DANIELS BEFORE THE 2016 ELECTION. THE CHARGE, NORMALLY A MISDEMEANOR, RAISED TO A LOW LEVEL FELONY BECAUSE PROSECUTORS ARGUE TRUMP ALLEGEDLY DOCTORED RECORDS THAT WERE MEANT TO COVER UP ANOTHER CRIME. JURORS WERE INSTRUCTED NOT TO CONSIDER THE POSSIBLE SENTENCE THE FORMER PRESIDENT COULD RECEIVE, AND WERE TOLD TO SET ASIDE ANY BIAS FOR OR AGAINST HIM. ALSO, TO NOT IGNORE ANY EVIDENCE SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY WANT THE TRIAL TO END. IT’S A DISGRACE, AND I MEAN THAT MOTHER TERESA COULD NOT BEAT THOSE CHARGES, BUT WE’LL SEE. I JUST WANT TO SAY IT’S A VERY UNFAIR TRIAL. THE JURY HAS ALREADY ASKED FOR A READ BACK OF CERTAIN TESTIMONY FROM THE VERY FIRST WITNESS TABLOID BOSS DAVID --, AS WELL AS COHEN. IF CONVICTED, THE FORMER PRESIDENT FACES ANYWHERE FROM FOUR YEARS IN PRISON TO JUST PROBATION, AND THE PRESUMPTIVE GOP NOMINEE CAN STILL BE ELECTED PRESIDENT, EVEN IF HE IS FOUND GUILTY. SHELDON. ALL RIGHT, SANIKA. WELL, THIS MORNING BACK HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, WE ARE GETTING A FIRST LOOK AT HOW AN ORLANDO HOTEL THAT HAD A REPUTATION FOR CRIME IS BEING TRANSFORMED INTO A NEW APARTMENT PROJECT. WESH 2’S BOB HAZEN IS LIVE AT THE FORMER AMBASSADOR HOTEL ON WEST COLONIAL BOB. DOZENS OF UNITS THERE WILL BE READY FOR PEOPLE TO MOVE IN SOON. YEAH, AND THE AMBASSADOR HOTEL HAS BEEN NOTORIOUS FOR YEARS. BUT YOU CAN SEE BEHIND ME HERE. IT HAS A NEW NAME. IT’S THE PALM GARDENS APARTMENTS AND CITY OF ORLANDO HOPES THAT THIS WILL NOW BE THE BLUEPRINT FOR HOW TO BRING IN MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THIS PROJECT STARTED UP TWO YEARS AGO, AND AT THAT POINT, THE AMBASSADOR HOTEL WAS WELL KNOWN FOR DRUGS AND PROSTITUTION, PLUS VIOLENT CRIMES, INCLUDING MURDERS THAT WE HAVE COVERED IN THE PAST. BUT IN 2022, A DEVELOPER CALLED ONE STOP HOUSING BOUGHT THE HOTEL AND WORKED WITH THE CITY ON A $15 MILLION PLAN TO CONVERT IT INTO AN APARTMENT COMPLEX WITH 150 UNITS. ORLANDO USED MORE THAN $4 MILLION TO HELP PAY FOR IT. ONE STOP HOUSING HAS TOLD US THEY WERE GOING TO COMPLETELY GUT THE PLACE AND REPLACE ALL OF THE PLUMBING AND ELECTRICAL AND INSTALL SECURITY CAMERAS AS WELL. TODAY, OFFICIALS WILL CUT THE RIBBON ON THE FIRST BATCH OF THOSE UNITS AT THE RENAMED PALM GARDENS, 95 OF THOSE UNITS ARE FINISHED. THE APARTMENTS ARE RESERVED FOR PEOPLE WHOSE INCOME IS AT 80% OF CENTRAL FLORIDA’S MEDIAN INCOME, AND SOME OF THEM WILL BE SET ASIDE AS WELL FOR PERMANENT HOUSING FOR HOMELESS FOLKS. THEY ALSO PLAN TO UNVEIL A MURAL FROM THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES DURING THIS RIBBON CUTTING THIS MORNING. AND WHILE MOST OF THE UNITS WILL BE OPENING UP TODAY, THE REST OF THEM WILL BE OPENING BY THE END OF THE YEAR. REPORTING LIVE IN ORLANDO, BOB HAZEN. WESH TWO NEWS. WE ARE LESS THAN 48 HOURS AWAY FROM THE START OF HURRICANE SEASON, AND LEADERS ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA ARE MAKING SURE EVERYONE IS PREPARED. WESH 2 GOT A TOUR OF THE NEWLY RENOVATED EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER IN ORANGE COUNTY. OFFICIALS SAY NEW TECHNOLOGY CAN DISPLAY UP TO THE SECOND STATUS REPORTS AND LIVE VIDEO FROM THE FIELD, INCLUDING DRONE FOOTAGE. THIS WILL COME IN HANDY IF A BIG STORM HITS CENTRAL FLORIDA AND CREWS NEED TO RESCUE PEOPLE FROM SEVERE FLOODS. WHEN CRISIS OCCURS IN OUR COMMUNITY, THAT’S OUR TIME TO GO TO WORK AND THIS IS WHERE THAT WORK OCCURS. THE CENTER USED TO BE ABLE TO HOLD 40 PEOPLE, BUT NOW IT CAN HOLD MORE THAN 100. AND IN BREVARD COUNTY, A NEW STATE OF THE ART FACILITY WILL IMPROVE THE RESPONSE TO EMERGENCIES AND THE EFFORTS TO SAVE PEOPLE’S LIVES. THE NEW EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER WILL FEATURE COMMUNICATIONS FROM MULTIPLE AGENCIES, ALL UNDER ONE ROOF, ALONG WITH OFFICE AND TRAINING SPACES. OFFICIALS SAY THAT THIS WILL MAKE IT EASIER TO DISPATCH THEIR CREWS, AND WE’RE TOLD THAT THE STAFF SHOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE IN BY JULY. AND IF YOU’VE GOT TO RESTOCK YOUR HURRICANE KITS, WE ARE JUST DAYS AWAY FROM THE NEXT SALES TAX HOLIDAY. STARTING SATURDAY, SHOPPERS WON’T HAVE TO PAY SALES TAX ON ITEMS LIKE BATTERIES, COOLERS, PORTABLE GENERATORS, GENERATORS THAT HOLIDAY RUNS THROUGH JUNE 14TH. WE’VE ALSO GOT ANOTHER ONE SCHEDULED FOR LATE AUGUST, WHICH IS CLOSER TO THE PEAK OF HURRICANE SEASON. YES, AND EVERYTHING BEGINS ON SATURDAY. METEOROLOGIST KELLIANNE KLASS JOINING US NOW FOR A PREVIEW OF THE FORECAST OF THE SEASON. SO IT’S REALLY HARD TO BELIEVE THAT YET AGAIN, WE’RE CALLING FOR AN ABOVE AVERAGE SEASON. KEEP IN MIND HERE AT WESH, COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY AND THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION ARE ALL CALLING FOR AN ABOVE AVERAGE STORM. SO THAT’S WHY WE’RE JUST GOING TO BE REALLY ON WATCH AS WE GO INTO THE BEGINNING OF HURRICANE SEASON. RIGHT NOW, THERE’S NOTHING TO TRACK IN THE TROPICS, BUT THE REASON WHY WE’RE GOING TO WATCH IT VERY CLOSELY IS OUR WATER TEMPERATURES IN THE ATLANTIC AND CLOSE TO HOME ARE ALREADY WARMER THAN AVERAGE, SO THIS IS ALREADY OFF TO A VERY, UH, HOT START FOR OUR SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES, WHICH REALLY ALLOWS THAT FUEL FOR THESE STORMS TO DEVELOP. BUT AGAIN, RIGHT NOW WE’RE NOT TRACKING ANYTHING AT THE TROPICS, SO WE’RE JUST GOING TO FOCUS ON OUR FORECAST FOR TODAY, WHICH FEATURES HEAT. AND THEN WE’LL BE TRACKING A COOLDOWN. WE’LL HAVE MORE DETAILS ON THAT IN CENTRAL FLORIDA’S MOST ACCURATE FORECAST COMING UP IN A FEW MINUTES THIS MORNING. WE ARE CONTINUING TO CELEBRATE ORANGE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPER SCHOLARS. THESE ARE GRADUATING SENIORS WHO HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED INTO THE NATION’S TOP 20 COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, AND U.S. SERVICE ACADEMIES. AND TODAY, EVANS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE WALKING ACROSS THE STAGE. WE WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO SENAIT DOUGLAS, WHO HAS BEEN ACCEPTED TO NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY. A QUESTBRIDGE FINALIST, SANIKA WANTS TO STUDY ENGINEERING WITH A MINOR IN BUSINESS. CONGRATULATIONS TO HER. I FEEL LIKE WE’VE HAD A LOT OF NORTHWESTERN GRADS AMONG THIS CLASS OF OC GRADUATES ACROSS THE DISTRICT, SO THEY’LL HAVE SOME COMPANY IN THE CHICAGO AREA WHEN THEY HEAD TO SCHOOL THIS FALL.