A 67-year-old man was fatally stabbed by a 19-year-old former roommate in Central Florida.
Homicide detectives from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office investigated a murder that occurred in the Polo Park neighborhood in the Davenport area. The victim was found deceased in his bathroom by a friend. A large amount of blood was found in the bathroom. The victim was identified as 67-year-old John Joseph Torneo. The friend told local detectives that had not heard from him for a while, and the man had key to the victim’s home, so he went to check on him.
According to the victim’s friend, he had recently changed locks at Torneo’s home, because a roommate was no longer permitted to reside there. The victim’s vehicle was also missing from the property.
The former roommate was identified as 19-year-old Julian Andre Trevino.
The investigation found that the victim’s bank card was used by the suspect at a nearby pizza restaurant and a convenience store.
The victim’s vehicle was seen traveling south on US 27, and units began following behind it as it entered The Ridge neighborhood. The vehicle exited the neighborhood and crashed in a ditch in the area of Tank Toad and Teacher Lane.
Trevino was captured after a short foot pursuit. Torneo’s bank card was found in Trevino’s possession.
“The suspect admitted to my detectives that he broke in through a window and was confronted by Mr. Torneo,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. “The suspect grabbed a knife from the kitchen then intentionally attacked and fatally cut Mr. Torneo. He was then hit multiple times over the head with a wine bottle. The suspect’s motive for the burglary was to steal money, and his actions resulted in Mr. Torneo suffering a very painful death.”
Following the fatal attack, the suspect disposed of the knife and other items, and stole the victim’s vehicle, bank card, and phone.
Julian Trevino was booked-in at the Sheriff’s Processing Center and charged with: 1st Degree Murder, Armed Robbery, Tampering with Evidence in a Felony (three counts), Armed Burglary of a Dwelling, Burglary of an Occupied Dwelling, Obtain Property by Force, Criminal Use of Personal Identification, Tampering with a Victim, Grand Theft from a Dwelling, Grand Theft Motor Vehicle, Fleeing to Elude, Theft of Bank Card, Fraudulent Use of a Bank Card, Resisting without Violence, Petit Theft, and Driving without a Valid License.
On January 15th, 2026, the suspect was indicted by the grand jury on the following offenses:
- First Degree Murder
- Tampering with Physical Evidence
- Armed Burglary
- Armed Robbery
- Grand Theft Of Property in a Dwelling
- Theft of a Credit Card
- Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle
- Fraudulent Use of Credit Card x 2
- Scheme to Defraud
- Fleeing to Elude
- No Valid Driver’s License
- Resisting without violence
