Evelio Federico Gainza, a 63-year-old Cuban man, was found dead in his Miami-Dade home on September 27, 2018. His body was discovered after police responded to a welfare check at his residence on Southwest 161st Street and Southwest 141st Avenue. Upon arrival, officers found a broken sliding glass door and Gainza's body hidden under towels and blankets in a bedroom.
An autopsy revealed that he had died from multiple gunshot wounds to the back.
The investigation quickly led to the arrest of two individuals: Demar Turruellas, a 19-year-old male, and Eveline Gainza, the 17-year-old daughter of the victim. Turruellas was charged with second-degree murder and other offenses, while Eveline was charged with accessory after the fact and tampering with physical evidence. According to police reports, Turruellas had been dating Eveline, and the two had been living in Southwest Florida before returning to Miami-Dade County. On September 24, 2018, Evelio Gainza had picked up his daughter to retrieve items from his home. Shortly after, Eveline snuck out and stole her father's car to pick up Turruellas. They returned to the home, where Turruellas shot Gainza multiple times. The teens then attempted to clean up the scene and hide the body.
The case took a disturbing turn as it was revealed that Evelio Gainza had disapproved of his daughter's relationship with Turruellas. This disapproval is believed to have been a motive for the crime. Both Turruellas and Eveline confessed to their roles in the murder during police interrogations. Eveline's charges included accessory after the fact and tampering with physical evidence, while Turruellas faced charges of second-degree murder.
In the aftermath of the murder, the legal proceedings continued to unfold. Eveline Gainza was held in secure custody while the state decided whether to charge her as an adult. The case highlighted the tragic consequences of familial conflict and the devastating impact of violence within a family. The community was left in shock, grappling with the brutal nature of the crime and the involvement of a young girl in her father's murder.
