Keys woman arrested, accused of fatally stabbing fiancé

Deputies say Heather Evans stabbed Clifford Cease during fight

Deputies say Heather Evans stabbed her fiance after a fight in Big Pine Key.

BIG PINE KEY, Fla. – A Florida Keys woman was arrested early Monday after deputies said she fatally stabbed her fiancé during a domestic dispute.

Heather Evans, 26, of Big Pine Key, told deputies she stabbed her fiancé, Clifford Cease, 33, as he was holding her down and choking her, Monroe County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Becky Herrin said.

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Cease's parents called deputies just before 10 p.m. Sunday and said they saw Evans punching their son in the face. Cease's parents said when they tried to intervene, Evans attacked them.

As a deputy was interviewing the parents, deputies received a call from Evans, who said she had stabbed Cease after they got into a fight.

When Deputy Austin Hopp got to the scene, he found Evans outside the house and Cease unresponsive inside with a knife wound on his side.

Herrin said Evans changed her story several times, initially claiming that she stabbed Cease as he was holding her down and choking her.

Deputies found the knife used in the stabbing outside the home. Herrin said Evans told deputies she threw it there because she didn't want to get in trouble.

Evans faces charges of battery, aggravated battery and tampering with evidence.

Cease was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center. Cease's mother received multiple stitches for a head wound.

Cease died of his injuries at about 6 p.m. Monday. 

The investigation into his death is ongoing, deputies said. 


About the Author:

Peter Burke returned for a second stint of duty at Local 10 News in February 2014.