The surrogate
It begins with a woman who yearns for a baby and another who is willing and able to give her one. You can imagine the motives of the prospective parents. But what about the woman willing to carry a baby, give birth and then walk away?
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ST. PETERSBURG — It started Monday afternoon with two men pushing and shoving each other. Someone broke it up.
That evening, Abel Jiminez-Totis went after Bernabe Giron-Gomez with a knife, deputies say.
Someone tried to jump in again — but didn't because Totis "threatened to stab him as well," said Pinellas sheriff's spokeswoman Marianne Pasha.
Totis repeatedly stabbed Gomez in the front yard of the victim's 40th Avenue N apartment between 8 and 9 p.m. Monday, deputies said.
Gomez, 26, died at Bayfront Medical Center about 11 p.m. Deputies arrested Totis, 23, early Tuesday on a charge of first-degree murder.
What were they fighting over? Maybe a woman, among other things, deputies said.
The men, undocumented workers from Mexico, clashed about 4 p.m. Monday at the John's Pass restaurants where they worked.
That night, deputies say Totis drove to Gomez's apartment and confronted him. Gomez tried to run, deputies say, but was chased and stabbed multiple times by Totis.
Witnesses couldn't help Gomez that night, but the Sheriff's Office said they helped deputies find his alleged attacker. "Some witnesses spoke very little English," Pasha said. "But they were completely cooperative and helped us find this individual and arrest him at his home."
The Sheriff's Office found Totis' car in Madeira Beach, then found Totis at home, 11475 76th Ave. N, about 4 a.m. Tuesday. He was in the Pinellas County jail late Tuesday. A dagger-type knife Totis allegedly used was also recovered, deputies said.
Neither man has previous Florida arrests, records show. But court records show a female acquaintance obtained a protective order against Gomez in 2007.
She said he once took off with her kids, stole her car and cell phone and held a knife to her throat and threatened her life.
Jamal Thalji can be reached at thalji@sptimes.com or (727) 869-6236.
[Last modified: Sep 19, 2008 08:28 PM]
Comments on this article
by Mark
Sep 19, 2008 8:28 PM
So I guess we will foot the bill for this undocumented worker while he rots in jail.
by Craig
Sep 19, 2008 8:23 PM
John, so you shame ALL of John's Pass? You do know that John's Pass is an area of restaurants and shops. He didn't work at "John's Pass Restaurant"
by rachel
Sep 18, 2008 8:53 PM
the victim is leaving behind his daughter anastasia that just celebrated her first birthday... this is so tragic and i hope justice is served.
by jim
Sep 17, 2008 2:24 PM
With all of the unemployment around this great city, WHY does Johns Pass restaurants hire a "UNDOCUMENTED" workers? I know that I will NEVER support a business that would rather hire illegal aliens vs a hard working American, shame on you Johns Pass!
by Bob
Sep 16, 2008 5:55 PM
Illegal Immigration is out of control in this county. Pinellas County has become a santuary county for these illegals. An investigation should be make as to the business who hired them and put the owner in jail.
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