Suspect Called Victim 'Jewish' Before Killing Her — and Martin County Has Seen This Before

A Martin County man charged with first-degree murder told deputies the only way he could describe the woman he had just stabbed to death was that "she was Jewish" — a statement made in open court Friday that has alarmed Jewish community leaders, drawn a response from a state lawmaker, and raised urgent questions about whether the killing constitutes a hate crime.

Kersten Moses Francilus, 25, faces a first-degree murder charge after Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said he approached a woman in her 70s in the Southwood neighborhood near Stuart on Thursday afternoon and stabbed her more than 16 times with a steak knife as she walked her dog.

Prosecutors disclosed the confession and the suspect's characterization of the victim during Francilus's initial court appearance Friday morning. Martin County Sheriff's Office deputies had not confirmed as of Friday afternoon whether they are investigating the killing as a hate crime. Officials said

State Rep. Debra Tendrich, who is Jewish and has co-sponsored multiple antisemitism measures during her first term in the Florida Legislature, responded sharply to the suspect's statement.

"What does looking Jewish even mean?" Tendrich said. "We're seeing more people in the community coming to me about being afraid to be visibly Jewish in public."

Roneet Edrich, executive director of inSIGHT Through Education — an organization that provides Holocaust education in Palm Beach County schools — called the suspect's framing of the victim chilling.

"It makes me sick," Edrich said. "The importance of what people say matters."

The Anti-Defamation League's most recent audit reported an 893% surge in antisemitic incidents between 2015 and 2024. Officials said

Before the attack, the Martin County Sheriff's Office received multiple calls about Francilus approaching residents. Budensiek said the suspect knocked on doors and asked people where a nearby bank was — a bank that does not exist in the area — suggesting he may have been casing the neighborhood or acting erratically in the time leading up to the killing.

Neighbors were still processing the violence Friday. Beth Simone, who knew the victim personally, described her as "a delightful woman" who "dressed adorably." The victim's name had not been released as of Friday afternoon, pending family notification.

"Just in the wrong place at the wrong time," said neighbor Peter Burke, who watched police lights and a helicopter converge on the scene. "It could have been anybody on this street."

But this is not an isolated incident on the Treasure Coast.

According to WPTV reporting, Thursday's killing is at least the fifth random stranger killing in the greater area in two years. In 2024 alone, a Port St. Lucie man was stabbed 45 times after an 18-year-old knocked on his door Officials said; a man was beaten and drowned on a Palm Beach Gardens golf course; and a woman was stabbed in the back while shopping at a Barnes and Noble in Palm Beach Gardens. A bicyclist was also stabbed to death in Riviera Beach after, police said, the suspect redirected rage from his mother onto the first stranger he encountered.

The pattern stretches back further. In 2016, Austin Haroff killed two strangers in a Stuart garage. In 2021, a homeless drifter stabbed 14-year-old Ryan Rogers to death while he was riding his bike in Palm Beach Gardens.

Matthew Olivo, owner of Continental Shooting Center — located minutes from Thursday's attack — said the cumulative toll is driving more residents toward firearms.

"People realize evil walks among us," Olivo said. "You need a way to protect yourself."

Olivo said he plans to expand the number of free gun training classes he offers in the wake of the killing.

The Martin County Sheriff's Office has not said what motivated Francilus or whether he had a known mental health history. Officials said

WHAT TO DO: Residents with information about the case should contact the Martin County Sheriff's Office at (772) 220-7000. For concerns about hate crimes or antisemitic incidents, contact the Anti-Defamation League's Florida regional office. Martin County Emergency Management can be reached at (772) 287-1652. Residents concerned about personal safety are encouraged to contact their local law enforcement agency for community safety resources.

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