Mexican national arrested for stabbing neighbors

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Julio Cruz-Martinez, 35, was arrested early this morning after allegedly stabbing two neighbors, throwing bricks into their home, and trying to break their door with a shovel.

At about 2:05 a.m. on January 31, Gainesville Police Department officers responded to a home in the 1100 block of NW 24th Avenue, where the two victims said that they had gotten into an argument with Cruz-Martinez and an unidentified co-defendant, who live in a neighboring home.

The victims said Cruz-Martinez came outside with a large kitchen knife and charged at them as they tried to retreat into their home. One victim said Cruz-Martinez tried to stab him in the stomach, but he blocked the knife with his arms, resulting in a deep laceration on his arm. Cruz-Martinez then turned to the second victim and allegedly tried to stab him in the stomach, but he was also able to block the knife with his arm, resulting in a deep laceration to his arm.

The victims retreated into their home and closed the door, but Cruz-Martinez and the co-defendant allegedly threw three large bricks through their windows; the bricks shattered the windows and landed on a bed where another person was sleeping. Cruz-Martinez and the co-defendant also allegedly used a garden shovel to try to break the victims’ front door, and the responding officer noted that there were multiple holes in the front door.

Both victims were transported to a hospital for medical treatment.

Officers reported that they were unable to confirm Cruz-Martinez’s or the co-defendant’s identity “due to them not being a resident of the country [and] not having proper documentation or a photo ID [or] passport.” No co-defendant was booked into the jail with Cruz-Martinez, and the name of the co-defendant is not listed on Cruz-Martinez’s arrest report.

Cruz-Martinez has been charged with two counts of attempted armed burglary of a dwelling, two counts of throwing a missile into a dwelling, and two counts of aggravated battery. His criminal history is unavailable because documents are not posted on weekends. Judge Gloria Walker ordered him held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold him without bail until trial; if the judge denies the motion, bail will be set at that hearing.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.