Mother killed as daughter begins virtual learning in Indiantown
INDIANTOWN, Fla. (CBS12) — A young girl getting ready for her first day of online learning in Martin County found herself in the middle of a murder in her own home.
The Martin County Sheriff's Office said 27-year-old Donald J. Williams shot and killed his ex-girlfriend, 32-year-old Maribel Rosado-Morales, Tuesday morning at a home near Booker Park in Indiantown in front of six children.
Williams is now in custody.
"She was a very friendly, loving, kind person. It’s just sad to see that situation happen," neighbor Jeremy Carroll said.
Detectives say Rosado-Morales was at home on SW 173rd Avenue when Williams showed up around 8 a.m.
“There was some type of argument. He went in and confronted her with something to do with a video," Martin County Sheriff William Snyder said.
Then, Sheriff Snyder said Williams started shooting her.
“He says she actually started to smile at him and he became enraged and shot her," Snyder said.
Rosado-Morales was shot repeatedly in front of her four horrified children and two cousins, who live across the street.
Her 10-year-old daughter—a student at Warfield Elementary in Indiantown—was online with her teacher and classmates when the shots were fired.
One of the bullets struck her computer.
“The teacher’s statement is that she heard a commotion, knew it was some kind of confrontation, muted it and then watched the 10-year-old put her hands up to her ears," Snyder said.
After that, the computer screen went blank. Detectives say Williams fled the shooting scene on a bicycle, then boarded a Martin County Public Transit bus and asked the bus driver to take him to Stuart. However, the driver got suspicious and called 911.
The SWAT team responded and arrested Williams.
Rosado-Morales was airlifted to Lawnwood Regional Medical Center, but did not survive.
“I think it's horrible," neighbor Linda Morris said. "It’s absolutely horrible that someone would be found dead like this, a shooting especially in Indiantown, it’s usually quiet here."
Neighbors say the whole thing is tragic and senseless.
“I think it’s sad, especially the neighborhood. I knew the woman. She was a very nice girl, gave my kids clothes and stuff like that," Carroll said.
Our deepest sympathies and condolences go out to the victim’s family, including the children present in the home who were witnesses to this heartbreaking and senseless tragedy. We have our grief team deployed to assist students and staff who will undoubtedly feel the impact of this horrible incident. We stand ready to assist and offer support in any way we can.
Snyder says Williams gave a full confession and will face a charge of first-degree murder. The sheriff says DCF will determine who will care for the victim’s four children, who are between 10 and 17 years old.
