Gainesville Man Arrested for Threatening Murder-Suicide With Means to Carry Out Act, Released on Bond

Anecio Jorden Torres, 23, was arrested last week and charged with aggravated assault and dating violence. 

The victim and Torres were heading back into their residence when he reportedly became angry at her over a previous relationship she was in. Torres became hostile and told the victim to get her stuff and leave. 

Torres reportedly pushed the victim into a small space between their couch and bed frame, causing her to injure her right hip area. 

Torres reportedly began dragging the victim out of the apartment by her ankles. The victim kicked her legs and was able to break free. The victim ran to a bathroom and locked the door. 

The victim reported that when she was in the bathroom, she heard Torres from outside the bathroom door loading and unloading his handgun while stating he would shoot himself and the victim. The victim exited the bathroom and was able to take the gun from Torres. Torres took the gun back and pushed the victim back into the bathroom. 

Torres reportedly began walking out of the apartment with the handgun concealed in his pants. The victim threw a wine bottle at him. Torres reentered the apartment to see the victim was calling 911. Torres placed his gun in his top right dresser drawer and began fleeing the scene. 

Gainesville Police Department Officer Benjamin Mullins reported, “Upon [police] arrival, the victim was in extreme distress with light visible bruises on her right hip. I observed a live round on the floor near the bathroom door and a broken wine bottle near the front door. The couch was also shifted as if it had been bumped with force. The victim opened the top right dresser drawer when asked by [police] where [Torres'] gun was. There was a small black handgun and a short-barreled shotgun plainly visible in the top right dresser drawer. There was also a spare loaded magazine on the desk directly next to the dresser.”

Torres returned to the residence four hours later, and police were still there waiting for a search warrant. 

Mullins reported that Torres “initially stated that he left the victim alone at the apartment because she was mad and he went to hang out with friends downtown. [Torres] initially said that no physical touching occurred between him and the victim. [Torres] also initially denied handling his firearm at any time while arguing with the victim. [Torres] eventually admitted to pulling the victim off of his bed and telling [her] to get out. [Torres] also later said that he did handle his handgun while the victim may have been in the bathroom but only to make it safe. He advised that he did remember the victim throwing a wine bottle in his direction as he walked out the door after previously saying that he left without any incident. [Torres] denied ever making any threatening statements while handling his handgun in the victim’s presence. [Torres] then admitted that he left the apartment once he realized that the victim was [calling 911]. [Torres] kept changing the subject, saying ‘But yeah, you see how cooperative I was when I came back’ over and over again. [Torres] continuously attempted to divert away from [police] questions.”

Mullins reported that police found a 9mm round in Torres’ pocket that matched the ammunition found in his gun. 

Torres has sought private counsel from Amir Ladan of Ladan Law Firm. 

Torres has issued a demand for a jury trial. 

Torres was released after posting a $60,000 bond.