Miami, Florida – A family member of a young girl who tragically witnessed her grandfather being shot to death at her home in Miami has been arrested by police. Carlos Manuel Rosales, 38, now faces a second-degree murder charge in connection with the shooting of 62-year-old Luciano Matute in Little Havana.
The incident took place in the early morning hours on Thursday in the 700 block of Southwest 5th Street. Matute was found on the stairway of the building with a gunshot wound to his chest. Despite being rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital, he succumbed to his injuries.
Surveillance footage showed a man entering the apartment building and moments later, Matute falling down the stairs, where he remained motionless. The girl was seen running down the stairs, witnessing her grandfather’s fate before fleeing the scene. Meanwhile, a man with a head covering was spotted leaving the area as neighbors emerged from their homes.
According to police, the young girl was alone in the apartment and contacted her mother after sensing an intruder. The mother then alerted Matute, who went to investigate, ultimately leading to the confrontation with the suspect.
Furthermore, detectives discovered that Rosales is the step-uncle of the girl and is married to her mother’s sister. In a separate investigation, Rosales was also arrested on charges of inappropriate touching and exhibitionism involving an 11-year-old girl.
Following his arrest, Rosales confessed to the murder, and he is currently in custody awaiting a court appearance. The Miami Police Department commended the efforts of their Homicide and Special Victims Detectives for swiftly apprehending the suspect within hours of the crime.