HAINES CITY, FL – A North Florida man who fatally stabbed an elderly man last week has been
formally indicted on eight charges and will be held without bail.
Christopher Lynn King, 32, of Madison, Fla. was indicted by a grand jury on counts of first-degree murder, robbery with a deadly weapon, armed carjacking, grand theft auto, fleeing to elude, tampering with physical evidence, battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest with violence.
King stabbed 79-year-old Carlos Manuel Goitia three times in the stomach with a pocketknife with a four-inch blade outside of a medical complex on Patterson Grove Road at about 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 18. King then fled in Goitia’s 2003 blue Toyota Matrix. Following a short pursuit, assisting deputies from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office were able to use the PIT (pursuit intervention technique) maneuver to take the vehicle off the road.
Prior to being pitted, King threw the knife from the vehicle. Despite attempting to run and being combative with officers and deputies, King was arrested and transported to the Polk County Jail where he remains. He will not be eligible for bail.
Goitia was flown to Osceola Regional Medical Center where he underwent multiple surgeries. He died from complications from his injuries on Sunday, Feb. 20.
“The blatant and utter disregard for human life in this case is absolutely disgusting,” Chief Jim Elensky said. “Assisting the State Attorney’s Office by providing the strongest case possible will be among our highest priorities. It is our mission and duty to do what we can to get justice for Mr. Goitia’s family and to hold this criminal accountable for the all the hurt and grief he has caused.”
