HIALEAH, Fla. – A man has been arrested after his mother was found dead Thursday night inside their Hialeah apartment.
According to Hialeah police, Lourdes Garcia's body was discovered shortly before 8 p.m. in her apartment at 6395 W. 22nd Court.
William Garcia, 36, was arrested Friday in Pembroke Pines on charges of arson resulting in bodily harm and second-degree murder.
According to an arrest report, Garcia's body had multiple signs of trauma and police found scattered burnt clothing inside the apartment and blood-stained footprints on the floor.
Residents in the area told Local 10 News reporter Sanela Sabovic that the victim had recently moved to the area with her son who they said suffers from a mental illness.
"My mom, she heard some noise like they were having an argument besides that (I don't know)," a man said.
According to neighbors, the woman's daughter found her mother dead on her bed inside the apartment.
"It’s quiet, it’s a nice neighborhood. This is like, surprising," a neighbor said.
Police said William Garcia, who had burn marks on his arms and whose shoe impressions were consistent with the blood stains on the floor, voluntarily came to the Hialeah Police Department after he was spotted by detectives in Pembroke Pines.
According to the report, William Garcia said he was at the apartment when an "imaginary person named Cormega" stabbed his mother numerous times, tried to remove her eyes and set the bed on fire.
He said he tried to extinguish the flames on the bed, which resulted in his burn marks.
According to detectives, William Garcia referred to the victim only as Lourdes and said she was not his mother because she was evil.
William Garcia has previously been arrested on charges that include battery and possession of marijuana.
Records show that he had previously been issued a stay away order from his mother because he had allegedly harmed her before. He has also previously undergone psychological evaluations for mental illness.