19-year-old charged with fatally stabbing retired nurse in Davenport

DAVENPORT, Fla. — The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the fatal stabbing of a 67-year-old man in Davenport.

Sheriff Grady Judd stated the incident happened at the Polo Park 55-plus community. Concerned neighbors found retired nurse John Torneo dead in his bathroom Sunday afternoon.

After further investigation, Judd says Torneo’s former roommate, 19-year-old Julian Trevino, admitted to breaking into the home, stabbing him multiple times and hitting him over the head with a wine bottle. Investigators say Trevino told them the goal was to steal money.

Longtime resident Louise Jutras says Torneo recently changed the locks at his home because Trevino was no longer allowed to live there.

Jutras says she and her husband, Dan, first met Torneo three years ago when he moved across the street. Since then, she says they grew closer. They often helped care for Torneo’s beloved dog, Ashley. She says that’s when she knew something was wrong Sunday when the dog was barking inside, and Torneo’s car was gone.

“It just didn’t seem like him to jump in the car and go,” Jutras said.

She called Torneo’s phone multiple times before receiving strange text messages from an unknown number.

“The first (message) said, ‘Ashley is all good,’ and then the second message said, ‘Yes, I’m good. And Jay is going to take care of her he’s coming by now to do it.’ John would have never said that. So, I’m like, OK, this is clue number three,” she said.

She eventually called 911 for a wellness check. A Polk County sheriff’s deputy gave Jutras’ husband and other neighbors permission to search inside the home. They later found Torneo’s body in the bathroom.

“And he said, ‘Oh my God, they killed him! They killed him!’ And when he came out, he said it was just so awful,” she said.

Jutras says no one would have ever imagined this would happen to Torneo. She says he was a good man who always helped others, including Trevino.

“He will be missed. He’ll be missed,” she said.

Judd says Trevino got rid of the knife he used to kill Torneo and stole his vehicle, bank card and phone. He was captured after a short foot pursuit and now faces multiple charges, including first-degree murder.

Here is the list of charges he is facing, according to the sheriff’s office:

• 1st Degree Murder (FC)
• Armed Robbery (FL)
• Tampering with Evidence in a Felony (FL, 3-counts)
• Armed Burglary of a Dwelling (F1)
• Burglary of an Occupied Dwelling (F1)
• Obtain Property by Force (F3)
• Criminal Use of Personal Identification (F3)
• Tampering with a Victim (F3)
• Grand Theft from a Dwelling (F3)
• Grand Theft Motor Vehicle (F3)
• Fleeing to Elude (F3)
• Theft of Bank Card (M1)
• Fraudulent Use of a Bank Card (M1)
• Resisting without Violence (M1)
• Petit Theft (M2)
• Driving without a Valid License (M2)