Man charged with murder in ex-girlfriend's stabbing death in SW Miami-Dade denied bond
Man accused in deadly stabbing of ex-girlfriend in The Hammocks, police say
Man accused in deadly stabbing of ex-girlfriend in The Hammocks, police say
A 29-year-old man charged with murder in the stabbing death of his ex-girlfriend over the weekend in Southwest Miami-Dade will remain in jail.
Joy Chandra Nath appeared before a Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Mindy Glazer on Monday morning. After reading the arrest report, Glazer said there was probable cause for the second-degree murder charge and denied him bond. She then set a $5,000 bond for a child abuse charge that he's also facing.
Nath is accused of fatally stabbing 24-year-old Maria Camila Garcia-Molina, 24, on Saturday afternoon.
According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office, just before 3:55 p.m., a deputy was flagged down by a woman who said her 3-year-old granddaughter was found wandering in the parking lot of her residential complex at SW 144 Street and SW 134 Avenue in Miami.
A neighbor recognized the child and escorted her to her grandmother's residence. The child had what appeared to be dried blood on her face and her clothing, according to Nath's arrest report.
Additional deputies arrived at the child's residence in an attempt to locate her mother, identified as Garcia-Molina.
Deputies conduct an area search
During a search, deputies located Garcia-Molina's vehicle parked at the Twin Lakes complex where she lived.
Maria Camila Garcia-Molina, 24, was killed Saturday night in Miami. Police have arrested her ex-boyfriend Joy Chandra Nath, 29, who family members of the victim say stalked her.
Courtesy of Go Fund Me
According to the arrest report, blood was visible on the front passenger seat and a body was found covered in blankets on the rear floorboard.
First responders said they forced their way into the car and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue pronounced Garcia-Milina dead. She had sustained multiple sharp force injuries to her neck, torso and arms, according to the sheriff's office.
Investigators learned Garcia-Molina had last been seen leaving her home around 12:30 p.m. with her daughter. A little over two hours later, police said her daughter was found wandering alone — something family members said was highly unusual.
The toddler, who was not physically injured, told detectives her mother had been with a man named Joy and that her mother was "hit in the head and was now sleeping."
History of stalking victim
Family members told detectives that Garcia-Molina had an ex-boyfriend, identified as Nath, who had a history of stalking her. According to the report, Garcia-Molina had previously obtained a temporary restraining order against Nath.
Family members also told police that Nath had confronted Garcia-Molina and her new boyfriend Friday night at Dolphin Mall.
Just after midnight on Sunday morning, while investigators were still processing the crime scene, Nath arrived at the Twin Lakes complex in his black Lexus ES350 with the headlights off, according to the arrest report.
According to police, deputies stopped him and noticed scratches and bruising on his face, neck and arms. Nath told deputies he had Garcia-Molina's belongings and planned to return them to her.
After being taken into custody, Nath waived his right to an attorney and gave a recorded statement, admitting he had spent time with the victim and her daughter earlier that day. He said they had met for breakfast at Casavana Cuban Cuisine and later parted ways.
Nath claimed he returned home to wash his clothes before being contacted by the victim's brother.
A search of Nath's vehicle revealed the victim's purse, cellphone and several forms of ID inside. Cell phone data showed the victim's phone traveled from her residence to Nath's residence, then back to the area where her body was found.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
5 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Retired Miami officer pleads guilty to selling stolen Heat jerseys, memorabilia
Retired veteran Miami police officer Marcos Thomas Perez pleaded guilty to selling hundreds of stolen, game-worn Miami Heat jerseys and memorabilia, raking in tens of thousands of dollars. On Tuesday, Perez, 62, appeared in Miami federal court to accept a plea agreement, reneging his former plea of not guilty to his charge of transportation of stolen goods. NBC 6 reported his defense attorney, Robert Buschel, said, 'He's depressed, naturally, but he accepts responsibility for his behavior and we're gonna work through this issue in his life.' Perez, a former Miami Heat security guard, faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, three years probation and a fine of up to $250,000. His sentencing is penciled in for Oct. 31, where prosecutors will recommend a lower sentence as part of the plea. 'This was an unfortunate set of decisions that he made and he's going to accept responsibility for that,' Buschel said. READ MORE: Ex-Miami Police vet charged in heist of LeBron, Shaq, Wade jerseys owned by Heat After Perez's 25-year tenure with the City of Miami Police Department, he joined the Miami Heat organization as a security officer in 2016. From 2016 to 2021, as a Heat security employee, and from 2022 to 2025, as an NBA security employee, Perez conducted the theft of over 400 game-worn jerseys and other memorabilia. He was among a number of trusted few who were allowed to access a secure equipment room, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Miami said. Over a three-year period, he sold over 100 stolen items that were valued for about $2 million and shipped outside Florida. Authorities seized about 300 game-worn jerseys and memorabilia when he was arrested in April by the FBI. According to a source, some of the stolen items included game-worn gear from high-profile players such as LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade, among others, and are believed to be worth millions of dollars.
New York Times
6 hours ago
- New York Times
Former Heat employee pleads guilty to selling stolen jerseys, memorabilia
Former Miami Heat security officer Marcos Thomas Perez pleaded guilty Tuesday to transporting and transferring stolen goods in interstate commerce, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida. Perez, 62, stole more than 400 jerseys and other memorabilia from a secured equipment room and sold them on online marketplaces. The U.S. Attorney's Office said in a release that Perez sold more than 100 stolen items for $1.9 million over three years and shipped them across state lines, often at prices below their market value. The items included a game-worn LeBron James jersey from Game 7 of the 2013 NBA Finals, which later sold for nearly $3.7 million in a 2023 Sotheby's auction. Advertisement Perez, a retired member of the Miami Police Department, worked as a security officer with the Heat from 2016 to 2021 and later served as an NBA security employee from 2022 to 2025. While working on game days at the team's Kaseya Center, Perez had access to an equipment room that stored hundreds of game-worn jerseys and other memorabilia intended for a future Heat museum, according to the release. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Perez's home in April and seized almost 300 items that the Heat confirmed had been stolen from their arena. Earlier this month, Perez appeared in federal court and was charged with transporting and transferring stolen goods in interstate commerce. The charges are reminiscent of those faced by former Augusta National employee Richard Brendan Globensky, who pleaded guilty to stealing items worth an estimated $5.3 million from the country club, including Arnold Palmer's green jacket, which was intercepted in an FBI sting operation in 2022. Globensky received a 12-month prison sentence in March. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
CBS News
16 hours ago
- CBS News
Stepbrothers dispute over clothing leads to Miami shooting, police say
A verbal dispute between two stepbrothers over clothing escalated into gunfire Tuesday afternoon in Miami, police said. Authorities said the altercation ended when one of the stepbrothers produced a firearm and a shot was fired. A boy was injured in the shooting near North Miami Avenue and 31st Street shortly before 5 p.m. He was taken by a family member to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. Miami police said no arrests have been made as the investigation remains active. "Several key aspects still need to be thoroughly examined," the department said in a statement. Officials expect to provide a definitive update on potential arrests by Wednesday morning.
