An 82-year-old Groveland man is facing a first-degree murder charge after his 84-year-old wife was found dead inside their home during a welfare check requested by worried relatives, authorities say.
Groveland police say officers went to the house around 9 p.m. Sunday and found the husband, identified in reports as Vincent Di Fraia, sitting on a couch with blood on his shirt and visible cuts on both arms. He was taken to Orlando Health South Lake Hospital for evaluation before being questioned, according to WFTV. Inside a bedroom, officers discovered his wife in bed with a hammer beside her and a large impact wound to the side of her head. Investigators say the killing likely happened more than a day before they arrived.
What Investigators Say
According to an arrest affidavit described by local reporters, investigators documented blood spatter on the bedroom walls and ceiling, dried blood near the kitchen sink, and bloody items tossed in a trash can. Detectives concluded from that scene that the victim had been struck multiple times.
The affidavit also notes a second bathroom that appeared to have been recently cleaned, and states that police believe the hammer found next to the bed was the likely weapon, per WESH.
Family and Neighbors
Neighbors told reporters the couple mostly kept to themselves and said they were stunned by the violence, describing the pair as quiet and rarely seen outside their home.
The couple's daughter said she had not heard from her parents for several days and requested the welfare check that led officers to the house, as reported by the Orlando Sentinel.
Legal Next Steps
Groveland police arrested Di Fraia on a charge of first-degree murder, and he is being held in the Lake County Jail while the investigation continues, according to WFTV. Homicide cases in Lake County are prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney for Florida's Fifth Judicial Circuit, and both prosecutorial decisions and the medical examiner's final autopsy report are still pending, per the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office.
If you or someone you know is struggling, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available by calling or texting 988. Authorities are asking anyone with information about the case to contact the Groveland Police Department. This story will be updated as prosecutors file formal charges and forensic findings are released.
