MIAMI (TCN) — A 15-year-old boy has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection with his mother’s stabbing death in 2023.
WPLG reports Derek Rosa pleaded guilty four days before jury selection for his trial was to begin. Rosa was 13 years old on Oct. 13, 2023, when he stabbed his mother, 39-year-old Irina Garcia, 46 times while she slept, per authorities. Her 2-week-old daughter, Rosa’s sister, was reportedly next to the bed in a crib.
WLPG reports Rosa’s defense attempted to have key pieces of evidence thrown out at numerous pretrial hearings. The day he killed his mother, Rosa reportedly showed his girlfriend a graphic video of a U.S. Army veteran committing suicide, according to prosecutors, and she broke up with him.
After Rosa stabbed his mother, prosecutors said he took selfies with the body and texted them to a friend, per WLPG. He also made comments that he wanted to be like Jason, the villain from the “Friday the 13th” movie franchise.
The Miami Herald reports that after the stabbing, Rosa confessed to a 911 operator and later to detectives interviewing him.
Law & Crime reports Rosa was an honor student in eighth grade and had no history of mental health issues. He was charged as an adult.
According to WPLG, Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said at the sentencing, “The pain Irina Garcia suffered from the 46 stab wounds could only have been surpassed by the knowledge that the person killing her was her own young son. … When he stole his mother’s life, he also stole so much of his own future.”
Rosa’s stepfather, Frank Ramos, addressed the court and spoke of his grief, having to care for the new baby alone, and being accused of Garcia’s murder, the Miami Herald reports. Garcia’s father, Francisco Garcia Acosta, also spoke, saying Garcia’s death led him to have two heart attacks.
The Miami Herald reports Rosa will get credit for two years of jail time served and will have 20 years of probation following his sentence. As part of his plea deal, Rosa is to have no contact with Ramos or with his sister.
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