Killer dad was father to daughter's oldest son (LeHigh, Florida)

Dad MANUEL DE JESUS ROSALES obtained custody of his daughter when she was a teen, then proceeded to sexually abuse her. Tests now confirm that he is the biological father of her 1-year-old son. Rosales is currently in custody for murdering the daughter's two-month-old infant, and assaulting the daughter. Seems Daddy was peeved that his daughter wanted to escape him and move to New Jersey to be with her boyfriend, the father of the two-month old. What a sicko.

We've posted on this case several times in recent months.

http://www.news-press.com/article/20100725/CRIME/7250374/1005/ACC/Accused-Lehigh-Acres-killer-dad-to-child-of-daughter--tests-confirm

Accused Lehigh Acres killer dad to child of daughter, tests confirm
BY PAT GILLESPIE • pgillespie@news-press.com • July 25, 2010

1:10 A.M. — A Lehigh Acres man accused of fatally slashing the throat of a two-month-old and trying to kill his 20-year-old daughter the same way May 20 fathered with his daughter the boy whose life he spared that day, recently released documents confirm.

Manuel De Jesus Rosales, 43, faces life in prison if convicted of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder in the killing of two-month-old Josue Rosales and the assault of Karminda Rosales Salazar.

He is scheduled in court Aug. 26 for a case-management conference.

In more than 500 pages of documents released to Rosales' attorneys last week, witnesses said Rosales Salazar had planned to move back to New Jersey to be with Josue's father, Santos Cardona-Sevilla - an apparent motive for Rosales allegedly killing Josue and trying to kill Rosales Salazar. DNA reports confirm Rosales is the father of Rosales Salazar as well as 1-year-old Brian Rosales, who was unharmed. Roommate Mauricio Maldonado, who called 911 to report the attacks, told detectives he was at the house when Rosales allegedly killed Josue and cut Rosales Salazar.

State attorney's office spokeswoman Samantha Syoen said there is no update about whether prosecutors plan on seeking the death penalty against Rosales.

Rosales' attorney, assistant public defender Neil McLoughlin, had no comment.

Sgt. Stephanie Eller, Lee County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman, said Rosales Salazar is no longer in the hospital. Her whereabouts are unknown.

Rosales Salazar told detectives from a Lee Memorial Hospital bed Rosales had "violated" her since she was 17 and is the father of her baby Brian, whom Rosales was holding - unharmed - when deputies arrived at the house that night.

In a transcript, and in apparent broken English, Rosales Salazar told detectives that last year she lived in New Jersey, where she was in a relationship with Sevilla. But Rosales wanted her to move to Florida with him, promising a job, car and place to live just a few weeks after Josue was born. He apparently wanted a different relationship than she did.

"He didn't do anything" he promised, Rosales Salazar said. "I tell him, 'I don't love you. I love Santos. I love you with (as) father.' "

Rosales Salazar planned on moving back north to be with family, including her brother and cousins.

On the night of May 20, she was outside on the phone with Sevilla when Rosales asked who she was talking with. At first she didn't say but later told Rosales it was Sevilla. She went inside the house and he pushed her, trying to see on the phone with whom she had been speaking.

While in the bedroom, she said, Rosales was grabbing her and one of the boys and she called to Maldonado, a friend who had been living with them for months, for help.

"He was, like, tryin' to beat her again and so I grab him from the back," Maldonado told detectives. "He... put his hand inside the closet. And pulled the, and he pull out a big knife."
In that time, Rosales Salazar ran outside to call police. When she did, Rosales followed and Maldonado, inside the house with the two boys, locked the doors.

Maldonado told detectives Rosales broke a back sliding door with the knife and came into the house. Maldonado ran out and found Rosales Salazar, who was lying in the driveway.

"She say, you know, 'Mauricio, I'm bleeding, call an ambulance,'" he said.

He said he tried to grab his phone, but Rosales came back. Maldonado said Rosales offered Maldonado his phone, so Maldonado called 911 and Rosales went back inside.

When he emerged, Rosales had with him Josue, Rosales Salazar and Sevilla's child.

"I, I, I couldn't even talk, you know, I was like, in shock," Maldonado said. "She was layin' down and he put the baby in front of her, in front of her face ... he cut the baby with the knife."

Maldonado said he cut Rosales Salazar again and walked inside the house. Crime scene photos released with the documents show a large knife in between the mattress and box spring of a bed inside the house.

Rosales Salazar said the image of her father killing her son was the last one she remembers before waking up in the hospital.

"I don't know anything after that, anything," she said. "Next, I know when I'm here."