A 38-year-old man in Florida may spend the rest of his life in prison for killing the mother of his children for breaking up with him, then leaving her body on the floor while he took their kids to school.

A Seminole County jury deliberated for just 14 minutes before finding Farel Torres guilty on one count of second-degree murder in the slaying of 34-year-old Vanessa Santiago, authorities announced.

According to a news release from the 18th Judicial Circuit State's Attorney's Office, the fatal attack took place on May 29, 2024, inside the couple's apartment on Winter Woods Boulevard off of State Road 436. That morning, prosecutors say Torres "seemed to prepare" for killing Santiago by grabbing a large "steak knife" from the kitchen drawer and "disabling a security camera in the bedroom.

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