Man stabbed woman to death in their home in Palmetto, police say

A Palmetto man is charged with second-degree murder after his domestic partner was stabbed to death over the weekend, according to the Palmetto Police Department.

Julian Ortiz-Castillo, 38, and Jessica Martinez-Lumbreras, 29, shared a residence on the 1200 block of Second Avenue West in Palmetto with their four children, police say.

The couple hosted a party on Saturday night, during which they started arguing, investigators found. After the guests left, police say that the argument escalated to violence and Ortiz-Castillo stabbed Martinez-Lumbreras to death.

Officers were dispatched to the home around 8:30 a.m. Sunday for a report of a stabbing. Inside, they found Martinez-Lumbreras dead with multiple wounds.

Ortiz-Castillo also had apparent stab wounds, police say, and he was transported to Blake Medical Center for treatment. An arrest warrant for second-degree murder was issued for Ortiz-Castillo, and he will be booked into the Manatee County Jail upon release from the hospital.

The couple’s children, ages 5, 6, 9 and 11, were found asleep in their beds and unharmed on Sunday, according to police. The children are now staying with family members,

This story was originally published August 6, 2020 at 7:27 PM.