A statewide manhunt ended less than 24 hours after a deadly stabbing in Lehigh Acres, as authorities captured 31-year-old Leosby De Armas of Hialeah following a high-speed pursuit through Hardy and Polk Counties, Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno announced Monday.
De Armas now faces charges in Lee County for Second-Degree Murder and Burglary with Battery in connection with the November 8 fatal stabbing of a woman in Lehigh Acres.
A Brutal Attack
Deputies responded to the 300 block of Lake Avenue around 6 p.m. Saturday, where they found a woman suffering from multiple stab wounds to the chest. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to Sheriff Marceno, the victim had traveled to Lehigh Acres with her children to visit friends and help decorate for Christmas. The attack began when another resident opened a pantry door and saw De Armas hiding inside, holding a knife.
“She screamed in terror as the suspect ran past her and immediately attacked the victim,” Marceno said. “After the victim collapsed, De Armas got on top of her and continued to stab her multiple times before fleeing without saying a word.”
Multi-County Chase
Investigators quickly tracked De Armas north through Florida using intelligence gathered by the Major Crimes Unit and Real-Time Intelligence Center. Deputies from the Fugitive Warrants Unit, Advanced Technology Support Unit, and multiple county agencies joined the pursuit.
When deputies in Hardy County located De Armas, he fled, leading officers on a chase that extended into Polk County. The pursuit ended after assistance from Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd and the Florida Highway Patrol, whose troopers forced De Armas into a crash, allowing officers to take him into custody safely.
Facing Multiple Charges
Along with murder and burglary charges in Lee County, De Armas will face additional charges in Polk County, including aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, fleeing, and reckless disregard for property.
Sheriff Marceno praised the collaboration among agencies that led to the suspect’s swift arrest. “In less than 24 hours, a violent criminal was taken off the streets,” he said, adding that his office will work closely with State Attorney Amira Fox to ensure justice.
The sheriff confirmed that both the victim and De Armas were from Hialeah, Florida, and that the suspect was the victim’s ex-partner. He also noted De Armas had no prior criminal record, calling the tragedy “especially shocking.”
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