18-Year-Old Bartow Man Charged with First-Degree Murder in Group Home Stabbing

Photo Credit: Polk County Sheriff's Office (PCSO)

Staff Reporter  | iSkyNews.com (ISC News)

Published May 24th, 2025

_____

Bartow, FL – A young man who had just moved into a Bartow group home is now facing a first-degree murder charge after allegedly stabbing his 81-year-old roommate to death in what Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd is calling a "senseless and tragic act of violence."

According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, 18-year-old Moses Ojeda was arrested on Sunday, May 18, following the murder of Patrick Benway, a resident at a group home on Blue Bird Avenue operated by ET Home Care, LLC.

Benway lived at the facility with three other individuals, including Ojeda, who had just moved in one day earlier after being discharged from a local hospital. During interviews with detectives, Ojeda said he had no issues with the victim and even described him as a “good person.”

Despite this, Ojeda admitted to entering Benway’s bedroom while the 81-year-old was lying in bed and stabbing him multiple times. The victim, according to Ojeda, did not resist physically but asked, “Why would you want to do this to me?” before succumbing to his injuries.

In a chilling confession, Ojeda told detectives that he felt no remorse and said he wanted to kill Benway because he believed the elderly man was “already dying.”

After the attack, Ojeda cleaned the knife, returned it to the kitchen, and hid his bloodstained clothing in his laundry basket. Investigators confirmed that the physical evidence at the scene matched Ojeda’s detailed account of the killing.

Ojeda, who has no prior criminal record, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence.

“This was a senseless and tragic act of violence,” said Sheriff Grady Judd. “Our detectives, forensic investigators, and Bartow Police Department officers worked diligently to take Ojeda into custody and gather the evidence to hold him accountable.”

Ojeda is currently being held without bond as the investigation continues.

_____

SEO Title:
18-Year-Old Bartow Man Charged with First-Degree Murder in Group Home Stabbing

Keywords:
Bartow murder suspect, Moses Ojeda arrest, Polk County homicide, group home stabbing Florida, Patrick Benway victim, ET Home Care LLC, Bartow crime news, Florida first-degree murder, elderly man killed Bartow, Polk County Sheriff's Office arrest, Grady Judd statement, roommate murder Florida, young suspect elderly victim, Florida violent crime May 2025