A Florida man, aged 38, has been sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for the murder of his children’s mother. Farel Torres was found guilty of fatally stabbing his partner during a domestic dispute in their bedroom. The incident occurred after she attempted to end their relationship. Following the crime, Torres proceeded to drop their children off at school.
The sentencing was handed down by Seminole County Circuit Judge Melanie Chase. The decision was announced by authorities following a swift deliberation by a 12-person jury. The jury took only 14 minutes to find Torres guilty of second-degree murder in the death of 34-year-old Vanessa Santiago.
The fatal incident took place on May 29, 2024, in the couple’s apartment located on Winter Woods Boulevard off of State Road 436. According to the 18th Judicial Circuit State’s Attorney’s Office, Torres had seemingly prepared for the murder by procuring a large steak knife from the kitchen and disabling a security camera in the bedroom.
The authorities were alerted to the crime when Torres himself called 911. He confessed to stabbing his girlfriend and indicated that she was beyond saving. Responding deputies found Santiago deceased upon their arrival.
During his call to 911, Torres was reportedly distraught and tearful. He admitted to stabbing Santiago in the head out of anger. When questioned about the location of the weapon, he chillingly responded, “In her head.”
In a subsequent interview with the police, Torres claimed that he had woken up at 6 a.m. that day and greeted Santiago. He alleged that she was upset with him because the bedroom cameras were not functioning. However, when asked about the incident, Torres broke down and was unable to provide further details.
During the four-day trial, it was revealed that Torres had intentionally disabled the bedroom camera where the murder took place. However, footage from other parts of the apartment showed the couple in a heated argument prior to the attack. The couple’s children were present during the altercation and witnessed the crime.
Further investigation revealed that after the murder, Torres returned to the apartment and accessed Santiago’s social media accounts. He also copied her credit card information and transferred funds from her bank account to his own. Despite the defense’s attempt to argue for a lesser charge of manslaughter, claiming Torres acted in a fit of passion, the jury remained unconvinced.