Woman, 65, dies from ‘inhumane attack' over purse at Tampa park: sheriff
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A young man has been charged with murder following the death of a woman who Hillsborough County deputies said he brutally beat over 'nothing more than a purse.'
The alleged attack happened a day after Christmas, on Dec. 26, 2024, at the University Area Community Park, located on North 22nd Street in Tampa, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
Wife of slain Tarpon Springs doctor ordered to pay nearly $200 million
Deputies said they found the victim, Cerida Charon, 65, in the area around 7 a.m. that morning. According to authorities, she had suffered several severe injuries, including multiple broken bones and a brain bleed.
Surveillance video showed the suspect, Antonio Gueits, 18, approach Charon at the park, the sheriff's office said. He then struck her in the face, which officials said caused her to collapse.
In the video, Charon could be seen lying unconscious on the ground as Gueits repeatedly stomped on her head, investigators said. He then ran from the area after grabbing her purse.
Gueits was taken into custody later that same day after detectives said they were able to positively identify him as a suspect. However, his charges have now been upgraded.
Deputies said Charon remained hospitalized for months after the attack, but ultimately succumbed to her injuries on Sunday, March 16.
An autopsy conducted by the Pinellas County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed that she died from complications from blunt force head trauma, and her manner of death was ruled a homicide, the sheriff's office said.
As a result, Gueits was charged with first-degree murder on Monday, March 17.
'This was a completely senseless and inhumane attack over nothing more than a purse,' Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a release announcing the upgraded charges. 'This innocent woman was left unconscious, suffering, and fighting for her life for months because of this man's horrific actions. Now, with her tragic passing, we will make sure he is held fully accountable for this brutal crime.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
American Press
14-06-2025
- American Press
The Informer: Five killed in 1971 blast at chemical plant
1/3 Swipe or click to see more A fallen tank lies amid PPG blast debris on Dec. 23, 1971, as workers inspect damage at the plant. Sam Guillory / American Press Archives) 2/3 Swipe or click to see more The frame of the vinyl top of this convertable stands erect after an explosion at the PPG plant rocked employee cars in an adjacent parking lot. (Sam Guillory / American Press Archives) 3/3 Swipe or click to see more A worker uses a respirator while inspecting damage to the plant. (Sam Guillory / American Press Archives) Two days before Christmas in 1971, the unthinkable happened. Four men were killed instantly and another three were badly burned after an explosion ripped through the new solvents section of the Plate Glass Industries chemical plant. The explosion occurred at about 4:30 a.m. in the perchloroethylene and trichloroethylene unit, which manufactures solvents used for dry cleaning and degreasing, according to the Dec. 23, 1971, front page of the American Press. The unit had only been in operation 'a couple of days' when the explosion occurred, plant officials told the newspaper. A large area surrounding the complex was shaken by the blast. Residents in the Westlake area reported articles knocked from their shelves. 'When the explosion occurred, a distillation tower estimated to be about 100 feet in height toppled to the ground. The unit is located on the west side of Columbia Southern Road near the main entrance to the plant,' the newspaper reported. 'Metal parts of the unit weighing a ton or more were hurled more than a hundred yards from the center of the blast. The major force of the blast appeared to be in an easterly direction, directly toward the offices and the older units located across Columbia Southern Road.' A flash fire accompanied the blast, but was contained by plant employees on site. Several cars and trucks belonging to employees of the plant were damaged or destroyed by the explosion. The parking lot was located about 100 yards northeast of the destroyed unit. 'One car apparently exploded and went up in flames after its gasoline tank was struck by the hot metal,' the newspaper reported. 'The roof of a pickup truck was smashed flat by a portion of the unit which smashed into it. Windshields and windows in the cars were shattered or broken out.' Ceiling tile from offices across the road from the plant were also heavily damaged. Metal door frames were twisted and large windows were shattered. When a headcount of employees was conducted after the explosion, it was discovered that Lowell Laughlin was unaccounted for. 'Shortly before the explosion occurred, Laughlin climbed up a ladder to close a valve on a pipe through which chlorine was flowing,' manager A.T. Raetzsch told the American Press. The explosion occurred almost simultaneously with his closing the valve. 'Technical personnel at the plant stated that this could not have caused the explosion and, on the contrary, was a beneficial act in that the chlorine flow was cut out from the explosion area,' Raetzsch said. PPG employees, Boy Scouts, classmates of Laughlin's 1957 graduating class, a U.S. Army helicopter, and officers on horseback scoured the area around the plant in search of Laughlin — who they felt may have been dazed after the blast and suffering from amnesia-like symptoms. The search went on for 15 days before Laughlin's body was discovered in a drainage line. The discovery brought the death toll from the explosion to five.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Yahoo
‘We will not be intimidated': Tampa Bay organizers increase security ahead of area protests
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — With dozens of Tampa Bay area protests against policies enforced by the Trump Administration expected Saturday, safety is a concern for many. In other cities, some demonstrations have turned violent. Florida state and local officials spoke against riots. 'We are not California. We do not allow rioting in the state of Florida,' said Florida State Attorney General James Uthmeier. 'We do not tolerate rioting as groups talk about assembling over the weekend, we haven't seen much of that in Florida. But if you do… we are ready across the state to ensure it is nipped in the bud right away.' 'We will kill you': Democrats, Republicans at odds over protest warning language Threats of violence have been seen on social media. The Citrus County Sheriff's Office posted about a scheduled protest in Inverness, then they followed up with a video about the post. 'I am hopeful that some of the negative comments referring to violence or disruptions are made by a small minority, and maybe not even people from Citrus County,' said Sheriff David Vincent. In Jacksonville, a man was arrested for threatening potential protesters when he posted a comment saying in part, 'I seen any large gatherings to protest ICE, I'm going to grab my buddies tow truck and plow through.' 'Well, it's certainly scary but we will not be intimidated by threats of violence,' said Helen Amburgey, an organizer with Pinellas NOW. She said their priority is getting their message across in a safe way. 'Everyone at our event is committed to a peaceful protest. We make sure of that when they sign up,' Amburgey said. 'In light of current events, we have recruited additional volunteers, additional safety marshals.' Amburgey said if someone starts causing problems during a peaceful protest, do not engage with them. Instead, she said to move to another area and get law enforcement involved if necessary. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Yahoo
‘We will kill you': Democrats, Republicans at odds over protest warning language
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — More than a dozen protests are planned in Tampa Bay over the weekend following a series of protests in Southern California. It's just a small fraction of the larger 'No Kings Day' demonstrations expressing their concerns about Trump Administration policies, specifically the way the president handles immigration enforcement. Florida has also become a state that is known for helping the Trump Administration manage ICE raids and deportations. Republican leaders, political and law enforcement, have issued stern warnings to protestors. Some of those warnings involved giving examples that could end in arrest or other deadly consequences. Apopka daughter asks for fair chance after parents detained, father deported Democrats are also giving advice to protestors, like Florida House Minority Leader Rep. Fentrice Driskell, of Hillsborough County. 'Keep your protests peaceful, do not be afraid to exercise your constitutional right, but just mind yourself, be aware of your surroundings,' Driskell said. Following protests in California and ahead of demonstrations across the state, some Republican officials took a more forceful approach after they said ICE agents and other law enforcement were threatened during protests in California. Gov. Ron DeSantis appeared on The Rubin Report conservative podcast this week. 'We also have a policy that if you're driving on one of those streets and a mob comes and surrounds your vehicle and threatens you, you have the right to flee for your safety. If you drive off and you hit one of these people, that's their fault for impinging on you,' DeSantis said. Brevard Sheriff Wayne Ivey issued a warning on Thursday about Florida being an 'anti-riot state' after lawmakers passed the Combating Public Disorder Act in 2021. 'If you throw a brick, a firebomb, or point a gun at one of our deputies, we will be notifying your families where to collect your remains at because we will kill you graveyard dead,' Ivey said. Driskell responded by saying this type of language is not about safety. 'All of the tough rhetoric is designed to scare people and keep them at home. It's meant to prevent people from exercising their constitutional rights and to distract from Republicans owned failed policies on immigration,' Driskell Attorney General James Uthmeier spoke at the same news conference as Ivey. The state's top law enforcement official said voters elected republicans to enforce laws and curb the number of migrants who are undocumented. 'The voters last November made loud and clear that we want to ensure law and order, we want to enforce against illegal immigration,' Uthmeier said. So far, social justice groups like the ACLU are not aware anyone has been charged under Florida's anti-riot law, which increased penalties for violent protestors and expanded the definition of a riot. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
