Jose Jimenez, Florida

On October 2, 1992, Jose Jimenez entered the home of Phyllis Minas, located in a north Miami apartment complex. Jimenez was also a resident of the apartment complex. Once Jimenez was inside, he beat and stabbed Phyllis. A neighbor heard her screaming “Oh God, Oh my God!” during the attack and attempted to enter the apartment through the open front door. As they were entering, Jimenez slammed the door shut and locked it. The neighbor called the police.

Jimenez exited the apartment by going out onto a balcony, where he jumped to a neighboring balcony before jumping to the ground. A custodian witnessed a man, whom he later identified as Jimenez, drop to the ground from the balcony. Jimenez changed his clothes and cleaned himself up before re-entering the complex and asking someone to use their phone to call a cab.

When rescue workers arrived at Phyllis’ apartment, she was still alive. She died a short time later. Jimenez was arrested on October 5, 1992, at his parents home in Miami. His fingerprints had been found inside Phyllis’ apartment. He was tried, convicted, and then sentenced to death in December 1994. The jury’s decision was unanimous.

Following his death sentence, Jose was also charged and convicted of second-degree murder of Marie Debas, robbery with a deadly weapon, and burglary with assault for a crime that occurred on October 19, 1990. For that crime he was sentenced to a total of 49 years in prison.

Please pray for peace for the family of Phyllis Minas and Marie Debas. Please pray for strength for the family of Jose Jimenez.