HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Less than 24 hours after the man accused of killing her husband turned himself in to police, Maria Perruccio wept at the spot where her husband was murdered last weekend.
"He was a sweetheart," she said. "Not because he was my husband, but because he was for everybody."
The body of 58-year-old Domenic Perruccio was found on the sidewalk early Sunday morning just outside the Winter Haven condominium. The Montreal man had been stabbed to death.
In bond court Tuesday morning, his accused killer, 37-year-old Twane Dobard, an ex-con with a lengthy rap sheet, was charged with Perruccio's murder.
It's unclear how long his body had been there, but according to arrest records, Dobard tried to rob Perruccio and used a knife when the tourist resisted.
Detectives found the knife in the area, spoke with witnesses and were able to identify Dobard as their suspect pretty quickly. He's known as Gonzo on the street and according to the judge, cops were able to build a case against him pretty quickly.
"You were seen running away from the area." said Judge John Hurley. "You had blood on your clothes. A witness said you asked to be taken out of the area so you could lay low and you said you wanted to go to Hallandale to change your clothes."
"I wish I could get my hands on this guy, but unfortunately I can't," said Carlo DeCarolis, the victim's son-in-law.
"I don't know what I'm going to do now. I don't know what I'm going to do," said Maria Perruccio.