Expand / Collapse search
☰

Teen accused of stabbing 81-year-old roommate more than 100 times at Polk assisted living facility

By
Published  May 19, 2025 7:20pm EDT
Polk County
FOX 35 Orlando
Teen accused of stabbing 81-year-old roommate

Teen accused of stabbing 81-year-old roommate

A Polk County teen is charged with murder after allegedly stabbing his elderly roommate 113 times at an assisted living facility.

The Brief

    • A Polk County teen is charged with murder after allegedly stabbing his elderly roommate 113 times at an assisted living facility.
    • The suspect, recently released from a hospital, reportedly heard voices telling him to kill.
    • The case raises serious concerns about mental health oversight and resident safety.

BARTOW, Fla. - An 18-year-old man is facing a first-degree murder charge after authorities say he stabbed his 81-year-old roommate more than 100 times inside a Polk County assisted living facility.

What we know:

Eighteen-year-old Moses Ojeda is charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of 81-year-old Patrick Benway. 

Moses Ojeda is charged with first-degree murder.

The attack occurred Sunday inside an independent living facility in Bartow, owned by ET Care. Investigators say Ojeda stabbed Benway 113 times while he slept, then confessed, citing auditory hallucinations as a motive.

What we don't know:

Officials have not confirmed how Ojeda obtained the knife, despite warnings from his mother and reported precautions by staff. It’s also unclear whether any staff were present during the incident or how Ojeda's mental health concerns were being managed at the facility prior to the attack.

The backstory:

Ojeda had been evaluated for mental health issues and had been involuntarily committed under Florida's Baker Act six times this year. Despite no prior criminal record, he was released back into independent living and placed in a shared room with Benway. 

The suspect's mother told investigators that she felt unsafe around her son, so she made arrangements to bring him to the independent living facility. She reportedly warned staff to secure sharp objects — a warning that was allegedly heeded but ultimately ineffective.

What they're saying:

Sheriff Grady Judd held a news conference detailing the case and claiming Ojeda confessed to the crime.

"He stabbed the victim 113 times, and when we asked him during the interview, he confessed why he stabbed him 113 times. He said, ‘The knife wasn’t very sharp… voices in my head told me to kill him.’"  

"Moses said that the person he stabbed and killed was a good person. But he was just told that he heard sounds, voices in his head to kill the victim, and that's what he did," Judd added.

Facility staff have not released a public statement but are reportedly cooperating with the ongoing investigation.

What's next:

Ojeda remains in custody on a charge of first-degree murder.

STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO:

The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

Polk CountyCrime and Public Safety