Venezuelan Migrant Faces Attempted Murder Charge After Beach Attack
A 26-year-old Venezuelan migrant has been arrested and charged with attempted murder following a violent assault on a Florida beach, where he allegedly attempted to drown a woman before expressing complete emotional detachment from the act.
Disturbing Details of the Late-Night Assault
Said Alexander Hernandez-Gonzalez, who had overstayed his work visa, was walking along Tiger Shore Beach in Stuart, Florida, late on Thursday evening when he reportedly grew enraged at an unidentified woman. According to the Martin County Sheriff's Office, the victim was speaking to a relative on her phone around 11pm when Hernandez-Gonzalez approached her from behind.
Sheriff John Budensiek detailed the attack at a press conference, stating the migrant grabbed the woman by the throat approximately five minutes after initially passing her on the beach. He allegedly struck her, pushed her into the water, and attempted to drown her in a sustained assault that lasted until she lost consciousness.
Victim's Harrowing Experience and Recovery
The sheriff described how the woman was "trying to time her breaths, pick her head up, get a breath, but he continued to fight with her until she went unconscious." Her next memory was waking up partially submerged in the water. After regaining consciousness, she walked a mile to Stuart Beach, where she found a deputy, already showing bruising on her face and neck.
Police revealed the woman had gone to the beach to "clear her head," and her sister later told deputies she heard screaming and sounds of a struggle before their phone call was disconnected shortly before 11pm.
Suspect's Actions and Arrest
Following the attack, Hernandez-Gonzalez allegedly threw the woman's phone into the ocean and fled the scene. Deputies searched the area for two days without locating any suspicious individuals. The breakthrough came when someone called the Port St. Lucie Police to report a suicidal man who claimed he had murdered a woman on the beach.
Police stated the suspect made declarations indicating the woman had angered him, leading him to attack and drown her. He reportedly stopped when he believed she was dead, then went to his vehicle, smoked marijuana, drank vodka, and left the area.
Legal and Immigration Consequences
Hernandez-Gonzalez has been charged with attempted murder and now has an immigration detainer placed on him. Sheriff Budensiek emphasized that the victim and migrant had no prior interaction before the attack, noting "she did many of the right things - she was on the phone, her husband knew where she was - but you never know who you’re dealing with."
The sheriff described the case as "extremely alarming," particularly highlighting the suspect's statement to police that he felt nothing after the attack, responding "No, I don’t feel nothing" when questioned about his emotions regarding the distressing incident.
