Marathon battery suspect arrested

A man wanted in connection with an early Saturday morning home burglary and battery turned himself in to detectives Thursday.

Giovanni Alberto Fernandez, 25, of Marathon, was charged with burglary, kidnapping and battery causing bodily harm.

Fernandez became a suspect early on in the investigation into the 6:30 a.m., Aug. 18, incident on the 400 block of James Avenue. Detectives wish to remind Middle Keys residents this case was always believed to be an isolated incident and not indicative of a larger crime issue in the area.

Deputies responded to the home about 6:30 a.m. They found a woman there with injuries to her face and head. The victim told detectives her husband left for work earlier in the morning. Later, she heard the front door open, but she thought it was her husband returning due to retrieve an item he may have forgotten. The intruder pounced on her while she was in bed, demanding she tell him where “the money” was located. A struggle ensued in which the intruder placed a cloth over the victim’s mouth and tried to choke her, but the woman fought back, kicking and punching the intruder multiple times in the groin. The attack continued from the bedroom to the living room. The woman continued to fight the intruder back. At one point, the intruder hit the woman with a conch shell.

The woman did not suffer life-threatening injuries and the intruder left without taking anything.

Detectives used evidence left at the scene such as a Pelagic© trucker-style ball cap, a fishing filet knife and latex gloves as well as security camera footage and interviews to build their case.

Fernandez was in a distinct truck with large wheels and a loud exhaust that had been pulled over for an unrelated traffic stop hours before the attack. Deputy Corbin Hradecky’s body cam footage showed Fernandez in the truck wearing the same clothes and hat as identified by the victim. Security footage taken near the house also shows a man on a bicycle wearing the same clothes. The same truck that was stopped hours earlier by Deputy Hradecky was also seen in security footage parked near the victim’s house.

The motive in the attack remains under investigation. More charges may be filed in the case.

Fernandez’ bail was set at $510,000.

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