Police say a rent dispute in Miami Beach spiraled into a frightening assault this week, leaving a woman injured and a 48-year-old man facing a stack of criminal charges.
According to investigators, the confrontation turned violent when Rudy Marenco allegedly strangled a woman and threatened to throw her from a third-floor window during an argument about rent. The woman was able to break away and run to a nearby police station. She was later treated for a head contusion, a possible concussion and injuries to her neck and face.
Police: Fight Began Over Rent Money
As reported by the Miami Herald, the incident unfolded on May 4 when Marenco entered the woman's room and an argument over rent escalated. During the confrontation, he allegedly threw a book at her face, then grabbed and strangled her.
Officers say Marenco told the woman, "I will throw you out of the window," before sitting on her chest, covering her mouth and placing a pillow over her face. Police also allege he erased messages from her phone during the struggle. The victim eventually escaped and ran to the Miami Beach Police Department a few blocks away, where she reported that Marenco had attacked her in prior incidents.
Where the Case Is Headed
Mount Sinai Medical Center operates a Miami Beach campus at 4300 Alton Road, where emergency patients are evaluated and treated; its site lists that Miami Beach location. Mount Sinai Medical Center provides emergency care on Miami Beach.
Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center is one of Miami-Dade's primary detention facilities and processes bookings for county arrests. Miami-Dade County Corrections maintains information on visitation and inmate services at TGK.
Arrest and Charges
According to the Miami Herald, Marenco was arrested after detectives said he failed to appear for an interview with investigators. He was booked on counts that include aggravated battery, domestic battery by strangulation and false imprisonment.
The outlet reports that Marenco and the woman had known each other for three years and had lived together for about six months. As of the latest reporting, he was being held in county custody while prosecutors review the case and the charges.
Legal Context
Under Florida law, domestic battery by strangulation is treated as a form of felony battery and is classified as a third-degree felony. The statutory elements and potential penalties are outlined in Florida Statutes §784.041.
