Woman, 70, fatally stabbed

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Summary: A 70-year-old woman in Stuart, Florida, was fatally stabbed on April 2 by Kersten Francilus, 25, in an unprovoked attack as she walked her dog. The suspect from a nearby community produced a steak knife and inflicted over 16 wounds despite a bystander's efforts and a deputy's arrival. He dropped the weapon and surrendered. Investigators found no link to the victim and noted Francilus called her Jewish. He faces first-degree premeditated murder charges and remains jailed without bond, reports say.

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STUART, Fla. — Kersten Francilus, 25, of Stuart, faces a first-degree premeditated murder charge after authorities say he fatally stabbed a woman in her 70s as she walked her dog in a quiet Martin County neighborhood.

The attack occurred shortly before 4 p.m. on April 2 in the Southwood community near Southeast Black Oak Lane. Residents first noticed Francilus going door to door, knocking on homes and asking where he could find a new bank. No banks operate in the residential area.

Moments later, Francilus approached the victim in a cul-de-sac as she walked her dog. He produced a steak knife and began stabbing her repeatedly in the upper torso. A bystander rushed over and tried to pull Francilus away from the woman, but the effort failed to halt the assault. The victim suffered more than 16 stab wounds.

A deputy responding to the initial reports of suspicious activity arrived to find Francilus still attacking the woman. The suspect immediately dropped the knife and surrendered without resistance. The woman was rushed to a hospital, where she died from her injuries. Investigators found no prior connection between Francilus and the victim, and they have described the encounter as random and unprovoked.

Francilus lives in the nearby Willow Pointe community with his wife, child and mother. He has no previous criminal record, though deputies had responded once before to a call about unusual behavior at his residence. The knife used in the attack is believed to have come from his home.

During an interview after his arrest, Francilus acknowledged the killing. When asked to describe the victim, he said only that she was Jewish.

He appeared before a judge the next morning. A prosecutor told the court that Francilus remained actively stabbing the woman even as the deputy arrived on scene. The judge ordered him held without bond at the Martin County Jail, citing the need to protect the community.

The case remains under investigation.

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