Jean Pierre Ojeda Salazar, a 25-year-old man, is facing charges for the alleged murder of his 35-year-old girlfriend and her 14-year-old daughter in their Florida home. Salazar was ordered to remain in custody until his trial during a court appearance on Monday. He is charged with first-degree murder with a weapon, second-degree murder with a weapon, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the deaths of Alejandra Cabrejo and her daughter, Mariana Cabrejo.
Hillsborough County Judge Catherine Catlin denied Salazar’s request for a bond amount for his release from pretrial detention. The decision came after hearing testimonies from a family friend who claimed to have witnessed the double murder and a detective involved in the investigation. The court was urged by prosecutors to keep Salazar in custody without bond.
Judge Catlin expressed her sentiments during the proceeding, highlighting the tragic death of the 14-year-old girl who was trying to protect her mother. She agreed with the state’s motion to hold Salazar without bond, citing the severity of the crimes.
The Tampa Police Department reported that officers responded to a distress call on the morning of November 26. They arrived at a residence on Riveredge Drive to find a 14-year-old girl and a 35-year-old woman, later identified as Mariana and Alejandra Cabrejo, suffering from multiple stab wounds. Alejandra was pronounced dead at the scene, while Mariana succumbed to her injuries at the hospital.
According to the police, Salazar allegedly attacked both victims following a verbal altercation with Alejandra. He then fled the scene in a white sedan, which he later abandoned. Salazar was apprehended in Maryland by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force a day after the murders.
Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw expressed his condolences to the victims’ family and assured them of the department’s commitment to holding those responsible for such heinous crimes accountable. Family members of the victims told local media that Alejandra Cabrejo, who moved to the U.S. from Columbia two years ago, is survived by her 4-year-old daughter.