Florida Father Sentenced to Life for Killing Girlfriend in Front of Their Son, Then Calmly Driving Kids to School
ORLANDO, FLORIDA — A Florida father who stabbed his girlfriend to death inside their apartment — while their children were home — has been sentenced to life in prison without parole.
38-year-old Farel Torres was convicted of second-degree murder in the brutal May 2024 killing of 34-year-old Vanessa Santiago, the mother of his children. Prosecutors said Torres murdered Santiago in cold blood after she tried to end their relationship — then calmly drove his kids to school as if nothing had happened.
A Seminole County jury took just 14 minutes to convict him, calling the crime one of the most disturbing cases of domestic violence they’d ever seen.
“He stabbed her because he was mad,” prosecutors said, quoting Torres’ own 911 call. “Then he told dispatchers she was ‘beyond help.’”
A Morning That Turned Deadly
According to the 18th Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office, the murder took place at the couple’s apartment on Winter Woods Boulevard in Casselberry.
Investigators said Torres appeared to “prepare” for the killing — grabbing a steak knife from the kitchen and disabling the bedroom security camera before confronting Santiago.
During their argument, Santiago told Torres she was breaking up with him and wanted him out of the home — the same apartment she paid for and leased.
Moments later, he launched a fatal attack, stabbing her multiple times, including in the head.
“The knife is in her head,” Torres admitted during his 911 call. “She’s beyond help.”
Children Witnessed the Horror
Prosecutors revealed that the couple’s two children were home during the killing, and one of the boys even walked in on the stabbing before Torres forced him out of the room.
After killing Santiago, Torres cleaned himself up, copied her credit card and bank information, and then drove the children to school “as if it were a normal morning,” authorities said.
“He calmly dropped them off, as though he hadn’t just taken their mother’s life,” prosecutors told the court.
Cold and Calculated Motive
Footage from elsewhere in the apartment captured the moments before the attack, showing the couple arguing while their kids were in earshot.
Investigators also found evidence that Torres had disabled the bedroom camera — suggesting he intended to hide what he was about to do.
When questioned by police, Torres admitted he was “mad” and “stabbed her because she wanted to leave him.”
“This was no crime of passion,” the prosecution said. “This was control, rage, and a complete lack of empathy.”
Life Sentence and No Remorse
During sentencing, Judge Melanie Chase called Torres’ actions “beyond comprehension,” sentencing him to life without parole in a state correctional facility.
Prosecutors said the lack of remorse throughout the trial was striking. Torres “showed no emotion” when his children’s trauma was described in court.
The defense tried to argue for a lesser charge of manslaughter, claiming Torres acted “in a fit of passion,” but jurors unanimously rejected it.
“This was a deliberate act,” one juror said after the verdict. “He’s beyond help.”
A Tragedy That Broke a Family
Vanessa Santiago’s family described her as a loving mother and hard-working woman who was trying to provide stability for her children.
Her death has left both sons traumatized, now living with relatives as they undergo counseling and care.
“She was just trying to break free,” one family member told reporters. “He wouldn’t let her live — and now her kids have to live with that forever.”
Domestic violence remains a leading cause of homicide among women in the U.S. If you or someone you know is in danger, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit thehotline.org.
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