Deputies say a family fight inside a quiet northwest Miami-Dade townhome ended in a double stabbing, and the man now accused is 79 years old.
Authorities identified the suspect as Jose Vidal and say his wife and stepson were found stabbed to death inside their Antigua at Country Club of Miami townhome on April 18. Vidal was taken into custody this week on two counts of second-degree murder, according to investigators.
What investigators say
Detectives say the killings happened April 18 at the Antigua at Country Club of Miami townhomes in the 17500 block of Northwest 67th Place. An arrest report from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office helped lead deputies to Vidal after he showed up at Memorial Hospital West in Pembroke Pines, arriving there on a bicycle.
According to the report, Vidal told hospital staff he had been attacked by two men, a story detectives later came to question as they dug into what happened inside the townhome. Those details are outlined in reporting and the arrest paperwork, according to Local10.
Alleged motive and arrest
Investigators say Vidal and his stepson had been arguing after the stepson accused Vidal of stealing a large amount of money and planning to evict him from the home. Detectives say Vidal later admitted to getting into a fight.
He was arrested Friday and booked on two counts of second-degree murder with a weapon, according to Miami-Dade jail records and related reporting. NBC 6 South Florida reported those details from the arrest report and jail records.
Video and physical evidence
Detectives say surveillance video became a key part of the case. According to investigators, footage shows Vidal wearing sandals that match dried bloody shoe prints found next to the bodies and throughout the apartment.
Video also allegedly captured Vidal making several trips to a dumpster on April 18, carrying full trash bags. Additional footage later showed him stopping at a gas station to buy lottery tickets during a bicycle trip to the hospital days after the killings, according to the arrest report and local coverage. Those findings are described in local reporting and the arrest report, per Telemundo 51.
Legal status and next steps
Vidal appeared in bond court, where a judge ordered that he be held without bond. Prosecutors have formally charged him with two counts of second-degree murder, according to court records.
Authorities say the investigation remains active and have not publicly released the victims' names. Local coverage notes that anyone with information is urged to contact the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office. Local10 reported on the bond hearing and the arrests.
