In a harrowing case out of Florida, a teenager has been sentenced to several decades in prison for the brutal stabbing of his grandmother, a crime so severe that he admitted to stabbing her “too many times to count.” The tragic incident has resulted in 19-year-old Jaylin K. Christian facing a lengthy prison term after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in a Brevard County courtroom.

The plea agreement was reached in November 2025, and on the following Monday, he was officially sentenced by Judge Charles Crawford of the 18th Judicial Circuit. The court has determined that upon completing his 35-year prison sentence, Christian will remain on probation for the rest of his life. This sentencing follows the gruesome killing of 57-year-old Muriel Emerson, which took place in their family home in September 2022.

During the sentencing hearing, Assistant State Attorney Mike Doyle highlighted the deep connection between Christian and his grandmother, describing her as his “biggest supporter and champion.” Despite the defense’s efforts, prosecutors pushed for a life sentence, underscoring the severity of the crime, as stated in a press release.

The facts surrounding this tragic case have never been in dispute, painting a clear picture of the events that have left a community in mourning and a family shattered. The sentence reflects the gravity of the crime and the impact it has had on all those involved.

The underlying facts of the case were never really much in doubt.

On Sept. 7, 2022, Brevard County Sheriff’s deputies began their investigation after 911 dispatch received a message regarding a hang-up call that led them to a gas station on Clearlake Road in Cocoa, a small town located roughly 45 miles southeast of Orlando.

There, responding deputies came into contact with Christian, who admitted to stabbing his own grandmother inside their house on South Carolina Avenue in nearby Rockledge. The defendant also provided deputies with a picture of the victim after the attack.

The Rockledge Police Department then followed up on the allegation and made their way into the residence. Emerson was discovered dead inside. The Brevard County Medical Examiner later ruled the woman’s death a homicide caused by at least 42 “sharp force” injuries, including nine stab wounds that pierced her heart and left lung.

Until the bewildering violence, the day had gone in typical fashion.

Emerson, who worked as a probation officer and had taken in the troubled teenager because he could not get along with his immediate family, picked her grandson up from school and the pair went home. Next, the woman sat down at her desk to do some work on the computer. Then, Christian attacked from behind with a kitchen knife.

“Digital evidence collected by Rockledge Police and prosecutors showed he had searched online for how to attack someone from behind and kill them with a knife,” the prosecutor’s office said in the press release.

Emerson finally died in her kitchen; her body was found covered in a blanket, and a large pool of blood had accumulated around the deceased woman by the time law enforcement arrived on the scene.

Deputies who arrested Christian said he was sitting on the ground close to a gas station in Cocoa when he was arrested, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by Orlando-based CBS affiliate WKMG. At the time, the since-convicted teen had cuts on one of his hands and blood on his shirt. And that’s when the defendant made the statement about not knowing how many times he stabbed his grandmother.

At home that afternoon, Christian began experiencing homicidal thoughts, grabbed a knife, and went into the kitchen. Emerson tried to run, and the first knife broke, but the defendant grabbed another and finished up. Next, he packed a bag, stole some money and a briefcase from his victim, and took a photograph of the corpse before covering it with a blanket and leaving.

“Christian said he killed his grandmother in order to steal her credit card and run off with a male lover he met online,” prosecutors said. “Police have not connected anyone else to the murder.”

Family members continued to express bewilderment and pain during the sentencing hearing, according to the press release. Meanwhile, Christian’s mother “appeared satisfied with the resolution.”