FL - 81-year-old man murdered inside Polk County independent-care facility, 19 May 2025

[imstilla.grandma]

Deputies said the victim was found dead at an independent-care facility.

Judd did not say how the man died, but described his death as a brutal murder.

“What we know is he died a very violent death,” Judd said.

Sheriff: 81-year-old man murdered inside independent-care facility in Central Florida

Deputies in Polk County are investigating the murder of an elderly man from over the weekend.

www.wftv.com

 

[ilovewings]

Deputies said the victim was found dead at an independent-care facility.

Judd did not say how the man died, but described his death as a brutal murder.

“What we know is he died a very violent death,” Judd said.

Sheriff: 81-year-old man murdered inside independent-care facility in Central Florida

Deputies in Polk County are investigating the murder of an elderly man from over the weekend.

www.wftv.com

That is pretty shocking

 

[imstilla.grandma]

initial reports indicate the man was last seen alive Saturday evening. And, due to his typical routine of skipping breakfast, he was discovered dead shortly before noon on Sunday, prompting a 9-1-1 call to the Bartow Police Department.

“What we know is that he died a violent death,” said Sheriff Grady Judd. “We are not releasing any details because it’s much too early.”

Officials said the man was a resident of the facility, which is operated by ET Care.

“They’re not troublemakers so its you know like, ‘wow – an older gentlemen like that.’ Why would someone want to hurt him? So, I’m concerned,” said Scheuneman. “Very very concerning.”

Florida police, sheriff investigate 'violent death' of 81-year-old man living at group home

By Frances Lin, Annette Gutierrez Click here for updates on this story BARTOW, Florida (WFTS) — Bartow Police and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) are currently investigating a murder following the “violent death” of an 81-year-old man at an independent living group home on Bluebird...

kesq.com

 

[tlcya]

BARTOW, Fla. — Bartow Police and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) are currently investigating a murder following the "violent death" of an 81-year-old man at an independent living group home on Bluebird Avenue.
Bartow Police and Polk County Sheriff investigate 'violent death' of 81-year-old man living at group home

 

[al66pine]

"man was a resident of the facility" from first link.

What kind of facility is it?
Where found. Inside building/complex, inside his room/apt/unit, outside?
From this May 19 coverage, I can't tell. bbm below.

"inside independent-care facility in Central Florida"^ in headline^​

" found dead at an independent-care facility"
Inside or just on the prop?
^ body of story

^ Sheriff: 81-year-old man murdered inside independent-care facility in Central Florida

"murdered inside independent-care facility" She said Bluebird Ave.
^ From story

Reporter said "independent group home"
^ From vid

So....his rm/apt/unit?
Common area for residents, like day room, cafeteria?
Or employee-only space, such as kitchen, mechanical room, storage, office?

Sheriff: 81-year-old man murdered inside independent-care facility in Central Florida

Deputies in Polk County are investigating the murder of an elderly man from over the weekend.

www.wftv.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

 

[al66pine]

Florida:"What Is a Residential "Group Home"?​

A “group home” is a generic term for various types of 24-hour residential group care facilities licensed by one of three other State Agencies: Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), Department of Children and Families (DCF), and Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD)."
....

IDK if the deceased resident was in a FL RTF or other kind of group home.
Anyone?

"For the purpose of the DOH’s residential group care program, the term “Residential Treatment Facility (RTF)” includes AHCA licensed facilities which are community-based residences for individuals exhibiting symptoms of mental illness who are in need of a long-term structured living environment. These facilities were designed to provide long-term residential care with an overlay or coordination of mental health services. An AHCA state license covers five levels of care that range from having nurses on staff for 24 hours daily to independent apartment residences that receive only weekly staff contact." bbm

Residential Group Care | Florida Department of Health

Florida Department of Health's role in residential group care.

www.floridahealth.gov

C%20and%20intermediate%20care%20facility

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Moses Ojeda,17, and Patrick Benway, 81, were living in a group home on Blue Bird Avenue in Bartow, with two other roommates. Ojeda had just moved in the day before the incident after being released from a local hospital.

Ojeda detailed in conversations with detectives that the victim was lying in bed when he stabbed him multiple times. The victim did not resist but asked, “Why would you want to do this to me?” Ojeda then cleaned the knife and placed it back in the kitchen, then put his blood-stained clothing in his laundry basket.

18-year-old charged with murder of 81-year-old roommate

“This was a senseless and tragic act of violence.” says Sheriff Grady Judd

www.mysuncoast.com

 

[al66pine]

@imstilla.grandma​

Thx for your link on this appalling story.
Headline says Ojeda (arrestee) was 18 yo; story says 17 yo.
From your link:
"Ojeda has been charged with first-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence. He had no prior criminal record but when asked why he killed the victim, detectives said he had no regrets." bbm

18-year-old charged with murder of 81-year-old roommate

“This was a senseless and tragic act of violence.” says Sheriff Grady Judd

www.mysuncoast.com

Per vid on this link, he stabbed victim 113 times.

Teen charged with stabbing 81-year-old roommate to death in Florida group home

An arrest has been made in the weekend murder of an elderly man at a group home in Bartow.

www.wftv.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

 

[PayrollNerd]

What kind of hospital and for what? Mental Health Facility? To say what he did and to stab a vulnerable person 113 times with such rage and detachment screams mental illness.

Ojeda had just moved in the day before the incident after being released from a local hospital.

 

[Betty P]

What kind of hospital and for what? Mental Health Facility? To say what he did and to stab a vulnerable person 113 times with such rage and detachment screams mental illness.

Ojeda had just moved in the day before the incident after being released from a local hospital.

If his mother knew of his violent tendencies with knives, he never should have been allowed to stay in a group home. Did the mother hide this information from the doctors or did someone make a mistake in assigning him to that group home?

So tragic. It could have been prevented. JMO

 

[tlcya]

What kind of hospital and for what? Mental Health Facility? To say what he did and to stab a vulnerable person 113 times with such rage and detachment screams mental illness.

Ojeda had just moved in the day before the incident after being released from a local hospital.

baker acted seven times previous to this incident. The mentally ill young man should NEVER have been sent to a facility with seniors. He needed a facility equipped for his disorders.

 

[PayrollNerd]

2025CF004534A000XX
OJEDA MOSES

RESIST/OBSTR OFFICER W/OUT VIOLENCE
BATTERY BY DETAINED PERSON ON INMATE/VISITOR

Docket

https://pro.polkcountyclerk.net/PRO/PublicSearch/Details/0n92sx9tf0-0-nPDgNMYrC5gB2LU6y1Ynu6GWLpoGRH3TY%3d

 

[PayrollNerd]

2025CF004465A000XX
OJEDA MOSES

FIRST DEGREE MURDER
TAMPER/FABRICATE W PHYSICAL EVIDENCE

Docket

Snip of Booking Sheet

https://pro.polkcountyclerk.net/PRO/PublicSearch/Details/h8W0-0-1BrKDk3pggjp7DK30-0-u3a92wCmCjOw8zs9awLq7E%3d

 

[tlcya]

If, as Shriff stated in presser, the facility was aware they needed to secure the knives, why did they accept him? Clearly they were given some sort of heads up this young man was unstable and not to be trusted with sharp objects. Apparently he found the knives the facility "hid".

So why on earth did the facility accept him under such conditions???? I smell a very lucrative (for the litigation attorneys) civil lawsuit coming in future.

 

[tlcya]

An 18-year-old man whose mother moved him into a group home and told staffers to hide the knives is in custody on suspicion of fatally stabbing his elderly roommate.
[snip]

Investigators identified Moses Ojeda, the victim’s roommate, as the primary suspect. Ojeda, who had been Baker Acted six times in 2025, moved into the group home just five hours before allegedly stabbing Benway while he was sleeping.

The sheriff’s office said Ojeda’s mother had dropped her son off at the care facility and told employees to hide the knives. Staffers concealed them, but Ojeda found them anyway.

Per Judd, Ojeda had allegedly committed domestic battery and violence against his mother in the past, but she "went above and beyond to help him" even though she was "afraid" of him.
Man accused of stabbing 81-year-old roommate 113 times after allegedly hearing voices telling him to kill him

I need a better understanding of what sort of group home this is? I am so confused as to why this clearly troubled young man was accepted into this residential group home and assigned an elderly, presumably infirm, roommate? Initial reports seemed to indicate Moses was recently discharged from hospital into this facility/home but this article clarifies that his mother brought him there after his recent hospitalization and warned staff about access to knives. How did his mother find out about this place? What is the admission process?

 

[tlcya]

A group home worker tells ABC Action News Annette Gutierrez off camera that the Ojeda was acting erratically the night it happened.
[snip]
Mental health counselor questions why a mental patient was released from a baker act if he still had homicidal tendencies
[snip]
So the question arises – why was he released in the first place?

"If he had left, and you know they had to say, ‘Hey, well hide the knives,’ that doesn't seem like his homicidal ideations had completely gone away," said licensed mental health counselor Kortney Ploski. "So, therefore, he probably shouldn't have been released if he still was having active, active auditory, or visual hallucinations, on top of homicidal ideations."
[snip]
She said he should have been taken to a mental health institution or even an outpatient facility with a lockdown system in place.
'You’ve got to hide the knives': Mental health counselor questions Baker Act release of murder suspect