Man arrested in alleged attacks on women at Orlando senior assisted living facilities

Yahoo

22-05-2025

The Brief
A man has been arrested in two violent attacks on elderly women in Orlando senior living communities.
Detectives say Deriko Hill confessed to both incidents after weeks on the run.
He faces multiple charges and is being held in the Orange County Jail.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - A man accused of stalking and attacking elderly women at assisted living facilities is behind bars after deputies say bold, repeated behavior led to his arrest.
What we know
Authorities arrested 26-year-old Deriko Montreze Hill in connection with two separate attacks on women in Orange County, including a 90-year-old woman assaulted in her apartment at HarborChase Assisted Living in Dr. Phillips on April 29.
Deputies say Hill was apprehended on May 20 after being spotted at another nearby facility, Brookdale Senior Living. During questioning, they said he confessed to the April 29 incident and another case under investigation by the Orlando Police Department involving a 76-year-old woman attacked in the Orwin Manor neighborhood on April 15.
Hill is now facing multiple felony charges, including burglary with assault or battery, attempted sexual battery, and battery on a person 65 years of age or older.
What we don't know
Authorities have not released details about Hill's motive or whether he had any prior connection to the victims or the facilities. It is also unclear how he gained access to the HarborChase or Brookdale facilities or whether additional security failures contributed to the incidents.
The backstory
The first reported attack occurred on April 15, when Hill allegedly attempted to sexually assault a 76-year-old woman in the Orwin Manor neighborhood.
Two weeks later, a similar assault took place at the HarborChase facility, where a 90-year-old woman reported being attacked in her apartment. Investigators spent weeks searching for the suspect, ultimately linking the two cases based on witness accounts and surveillance reports from local facilities.
The break came when Hill was reportedly seen multiple times at Brookdale Senior Living, prompting deputies to intervene.
What they're saying
Orange County deputies say Deriko Montreze Hill was arrested following weeks of investigations into two separate attacks on elderly women.
Authorities say one of the alleged attacks occurred at the HarborChase assisted living facility in the Dr. Phillips area, where he allegedly attacked a 90-year-old woman in her apartment while she says she was watching television.
Deputies say the woman reported seeing a man in her closet. She says he allegedly exposed himself, pushed her to the floor, and tried to undress her. She fought back, causing him to flee.
"The sheriff's office received another call for a suspicious person at the Brookdale assisted living facility, said Det. Kyle Cole. "Based off the number of times he'd been seen there, we made an expedited response."
When deputies arrived, they say they spotted Hill on the property.
"He ran. A short foot pursuit ensued, and he was eventually secured," Det. Cole explained.
During questioning, Hill allegedly confessed to the HarborChase attack and was identified as a suspect an earlier assault in Orwin Manor.
"No elderly person should have to live in fear of being attacked in their home. We investigate these cases to every extent possible," Det. Cole added.
Officials with Brookdale say no residents or staff were harmed during the incidents involving Hill but acknowledged the severity of the situation.
"We are grateful for the quick action of our staff and the Orange County Sheriff's Department," the facility said in a statement. "Incidents like this are unsettling, and we take them very seriously. The safety and well-being of our residents and staff remain our highest priority."
Attorney Michael Panella says a judge will have to make the determination if Hill's alleged confessions can be used in court.
"A judge has to look at the totality of the circumstances. Whether this guy was suffering from a mental illness, which it looks like he was by the way," said Panella. "Whether he understood the consequences of giving a confession and whether he knew the nature and circumstances that he was in."
Panella sais even though the affidavit states Hill was read his Miranda rights, his Confession might not be usable in court.
"You cannot be mentally incompetent, not understanding what's going on around you, and have your words used against you as a confession," said Panella. "There are protections in place but it's not an automatic thing."
What's next
Hill is currently being held in the Orange County Jail awaiting his first appearance before a judge.
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The Source
This story was written based on information shared by the Orange County Sheriff's Office, the Orange County Jail, and the Orlando Police Department, and FOX 35's Chancelor Winn spoke with Attorney Michael Panella.