A tragic incident unfolded in Florida when a retired nurse met a grim fate after allowing a 19-year-old into his home. The young man allegedly took the nurse’s life following an eviction from the residence.

Julian Trevino, 19, was arrested on Monday and charged with a pile of felonies in connection with the homicide of 67-year-old John Torneo. During a press conference, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd provided details about what led up to Trevino’s arrest and how law enforcement came upon the grisly scene at Torneo’s home in Davenport, Florida.

Sheriff Judd recounted how a concerned neighbor alerted authorities after noticing the absence of the nurse, Torneo, over several days. Upon the deputy’s arrival, the neighbor revealed that Torneo had been providing shelter to Trevino since September but had recently asked him to leave due to unpaid rent and other issues.

The neighbor explained that on December 10, Torneo instructed Trevino to gather his belongings and vacate the premises. Possessing a spare key to Torneo’s house, the neighbor accompanied the responding officer to the scene. However, the deputy erroneously concluded that Torneo was not at home after tracking his vehicle moving southbound.

After the initial check, the deputy departed, but the neighbor’s concern persisted as attempts to reach Torneo failed. A group of worried neighbors eventually entered the home, where they discovered Torneo’s lifeless and brutally mutilated body.

Subsequent investigations by the sheriff’s office led them to trace transactions made with Torneo’s credit card, allegedly used by Trevino at a Circle K store. Additionally, Trevino reportedly used another card at the pizza restaurant where he was employed as a dishwasher. Sheriff Judd remarked on the ease of tracking Trevino, humorously noting, “Helen Keller could have followed the leads this guy left. This is what we call a slow-pitch investigation.”

The investigation continued as deputies tracked down Torneo’s stolen car. At 4:42 a.m. on Monday, deputies saw Trevino get into Torneo’s car, and they approached him to take him into custody. Trevino allegedly took off in the stolen car. He eventually crashed and allegedly attempted to escape on foot. Deputies caught up with him quickly and placed him under arrest.

Judd stated that while Trevino was in custody, he admitted to the alleged murder. According to Judd, Trevino told police, “I was really angry when he put me out of the house. And now I’m having to live in a shed by a friend’s house. I didn’t want to go away from my girlfriend.”

Trevino allegedly told police that on Sunday, he broke into Torneo’s house through a bathroom window and hid in a closet. When he thought Torneo had settled in, he allegedly stole Torneo’s cash and credit cards. Torneo reportedly woke up and found Trevino in his house, then told him, “You’re not supposed to be here.” Trevino allegedly shoved Torneo onto his bed then went to the kitchen to get a knife. After allegedly stabbing Torneo, Trevino got a bottle of wine out of the cooler in Torneo’s bedroom and “beat him in the head with it to make sure he was dead,” authorities say.

Trevino allegedly told police that he took the knife and the bottle with him when he left Torneo’s home and threw both alleged murder weapons in a creek. Both items were recovered.

Trevino was charged with 14 felonies and seven misdemeanors in connection with Torneo’s death, including first-degree murder. He is being held at the South County Jail without bond. His arraignment is scheduled for Jan. 20, 2026.