HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – Hillsborough County State Attorney Suzy Lopez announced Wednesday that her office will pursue the death penalty for an illegal immigrant after a brutal double homicide in Dover.
On April 24, 2024, the defendant, Angel Gabriel Cuz Choc, viciously killed his girlfriend, Amalia Coc Choc De Pec, and her 4-year-old daughter.
Once on scene, deputies discovered Coc Choc De Pec’s body in a makeshift shed outside the couple’s trailer, with severe blunt-force trauma. She was attacked with a shovel and knife.
When deputies entered the house, they found Coc Choc De Pec’s 4-year-old daughter stabbed to death in a bathtub.
Cuz Choc fled the area on foot following the murderous attack.
On Thursday, April 25, 2024, less than 24 hours after the discovery of his melee, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office detectives found Angel Gabriel Cuz-Choc hidden in a wooded area less than two miles from the scene of the crime.
Cuz Choc entered the nation illegally from Guatemala, where he was reportedly wanted for two other murders, according to the U.S. Border Patrol. He faces two counts each of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and severe child abuse in Hillsborough County.
He gave a sworn statement to investigators in which he admitted to entering the country illegally through a smuggler in September 2023. The defendant claims he met Coc Choc De Pec on Facebook while she and her daughter lived in New Jersey.
In the months before the murders, the defendant also claimed the victim and her 4-year-old daughter moved down to live with Cuz Choc in Dover, where he found work as a day laborer.
“Since our organization was successful in proving that the offender poses a risk to the community, he is presently being held pending trial,” said the State Attorney’s Office.
“I can’t imagine the terror both victims went through as they were brutally attacked by this defendant. A mother and her 4-year-old daughter were savagely stabbed to death. This crime was especially heinous, cruel, and atrocious. As a result of the violent nature of the defendant’s actions and the suffering of the victims, we are seeking the death penalty for both murders. This tragedy is made even worse by the fact that the defendant was in our community illegally,” said State Attorney Suzy Lopez.
If you or anyone you know is a victim of domestic violence, our community is fortunate to have incredible resources for survivors and their children. The Spring of Tampa Bay has a 24-hour Crisis Hotline that victims can call: (813)-247-SAFE (7233). Victims can also learn about the Spring’s services and resources by visiting www.TheSpring.org.
Help support the Tampa Free Press by making any small donation by clicking here.
Android Users, Click To Download The Tampa Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. Follow Us On Facebook and Twitter. Sign up for our free newsletter