Man accused of fatally stabbing his 64-year-old stepmother in North Miami Beach appears in bond court

NORTH MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – A man that turned himself in to police after being accused of fatally stabbing his stepmother in North Miami Beach nearly three weeks ago appeared in court bond court Friday.

According to a North Miami Beach police report, officers were conducting an investigation on June 11 for the death of 64-year-old Connie Cuesta, at an apartment near the 3700 block of Northeast 169th Street.

Upon arrival, police said they spoke to Cuesta’s spouse and her 36-year-old stepson, Sean Michael Cuesta, who were waiting outside of the apartment.

Police said the victim’s spouse advised officers that he found the victim lying face down on the floor in the master bedroom, unconscious with no shirt on and her pants lowered to her knees.

The victim’s spouse told investigators that the victim was “cold to the touch,” according to the report.

Detectives said they interviewed a family friend who said that he received a call from the victim’s spouse on the evening of June 11, who told him that there was something wrong with the victim.

The family friend also stated that when he arrived at the apartment, he saw the victim’s body as she was lying unconscious and face down in the master bedroom, according to investigators.

Police said the victim’s neighbor was also at the scene when officers arrived and told officers he heard loud banging and yelling coming from the Cuesta’s apartment.

Shortly after, the neighbor told police he exited his apartment and advised the victim’s spouse about the loud noises before calling 911.

Authorities said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue arrived at the apartment around 9:15 p.m. and pronounced the victim dead at the scene.

According to the arrest report, Sean Cuesta told officers that he is the victim’s son and that he has been residing with the victim on and off for many years.

Police said while conducting an interview with Sean Cuesta on June 12 at the North Miami Beach Police Station, they noticed that he had visible scratches on his arms and a laceration to his forehead.

During the interview, Sean Cuesta stated that he has been staying with his mother for several weeks, according to police.

After further investigation, detectives said they learned that on June 11, Sean Cuesta and the victim were involved in a verbal dispute that turned physical when he began throwing items inside the apartment.

Investigators said Sean Cuesta proceeded to strike the victim in the head and face with multiple blunt objects, which included empty wine bottles that were located next to the victim’s body.

According to detectives, Sean Cuesta stabbed the victim four times in the left temple with a black knife that was located at the scene next to the victim’s body. The knife was located inside of his backpack, which also contained his other belongings, authorities said.

A police report stated that the victim’s death was a direct result of Sean Cuesta’s actions when he severely struck the victim in the body with “blunt objects.”

Due to the victim’s extensive injuries, Connie Cuesta bled excessively onto the living room floor as well as the floor in the master bedroom, authorities said.

Authorities said Sean Cuesta attempted to clean up the blood using a towel and a green rag, which was located next to the victim’s body.

Police said Sean Cuesta then showered, changed his clothes and left the residence.

After completing an autopsy of the victim’s body, the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the victim died of internal bleeding resulting from all internal organs being lacerated from blunt force trauma, according to the police report.

Authorities said after exiting the North Miami Beach Police Station, Sean Cuesta headed to his aunt’s home in Hialeah.

Shortly after Sean Cuesta arrived, his behavior became concerning to the family, which led them to call Miami-Dade police who took him into custody under the Baker Act statute. He was later transported to the Citrus Health facility in Hialeah, authorities said.

According to police, Sean Cuesta called his aunt on a landline phone from a gas station in Hialeah on June 16 and said, “I killed my mother.”

Detectives said Sean Cuesta was released from Citrus Health before he turned himself in to police just before 11 a.m. Thursday.

Local 10 News spoke with a neighbor Thursday evening who said he tried to stop Sean Cuesta and his stepmother from arguing after he heard loud noises coming from their home on the night of the incident.

“They were arguing so I went over and tried to stop it and I stopped it that night, but I feel kind of guilty that she ended up still being deceased because maybe I should’ve done more, he said.

The neighbor, who asked to remain unidentified, told Local 10 that he heard banging noises weeks later coming from the same home.

“It sounded like somebody was breaking the place apart and there was a lot of banging on something,” he said.

Sean Cuesta faced a Miami-Dade Judge Friday who held him without bond on charges that include one count each of second-degree murder, aggravated battery and domestic battery by strangulation.

According to police, at the time Sean Cuesta was taken into custody, he was already on probation for domestic and aggravated battery for a separate incident.

Anyone with further information about the case is urged to call the North Miami Beach Police Department at 305-949-5500.