Florida
Florida Walmart shopper nearly kidnapped, stuffed into car trunk by knife-wielding sex offender while packing groceries: ‘I’ll slice your throat’
A Florida woman was nearly thrown into the trunk of her car with her would-be kidnapper holding a knife to her and threatening to “slice” her throat if she didn’t comply.
Veronica Jones had just finished shopping at an Orlando Walmart on Monday at around 4:30 p.m. and was putting her groceries into her trunk when the horrifying ordeal went down, according to WESH 2.
“All of a sudden, somebody grabbed me full body,” Jones told the outlet, revealing at first she thought it was someone she may know trying to pull a prank on her.
“He kept pushing me, I was pinned against my car, he kept pushing me toward my trunk as he was pulling my purse at the same time.”
The suspect, later identified by police as 54-year-old Juan Perez, demanded that she cough up her purse and cash.
Jones said she was “fighting” to keep her purse because it contained all her important valuables.
However, she quickly realized the perp was willing to get violent when he put a knife to her throat and threatened her life.
“Then he put something to my neck, which he says if you don’t stop this, I’m going to slice your throat, if you don’t give me your purse,” Jones shared.
Perez continued to push her into the truck, with the blade still pressed against her throat, causing Jones to go into “survival mode.”
Jones said she “started screaming” for help, but her cries were swiftly muffled out when the would-be kidnapper shoved a glove down her throat, she told the outlet.
Fortunately, she got out one shout for “help,” which alerted a nearby bystander, who rushed over and scared the violent suspect off.
“She heard me say help, so she got out of the car, and then at this time, we’re tugging on the purse, and he got it cause the strap broke,” Jones told the outlet.
The brave bystander later told law enforcement she saw the victim’s “legs flailing out of the trunk” and the suspect trying to push her in, according to an affidavit obtained by Fox 35.
When the suspect took off with her purse, the Walmart shopper lost her wallet, driver’s license, insurance card, phone, gift cards, $60 in cash, and a $125 check.
Jones was left with a mark on her neck where the suspect had pressed the knife into her during the frightening ordeal. She denied medical attention at the scene.
But she’s just grateful the good Samaritan heard her pleas for help and intervened.
“I’d like to thank the girl that stopped though, because she stayed with me the whole time, she was a lot of help,” Jones told WESH 2.
Police arrested Perez the following day after a GPS he was wearing from a past crime put him at the scene of the attempted kidnapping and armed robbery.
Perez’s car was also spotted in the parking lot during that time, and his probation officer verified him as the perp from stills off of Walmart’s security cameras, according to the outlet.
He was taken before a judge following his arrest and charged with attempted kidnapping, armed robbery with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, battery, and destruction of evidence, according to the Orlando Police Department.
He is being held at the Orange County Jail without bond. Perez is scheduled to make his next court appearance on Sept. 10.
Perez was on federal probation for a previous kidnapping charge when he allegedly tried kidnapping Jones and stole her purse using the deadly weapon, according to Fox 35.
He is also a registered sex offender in Florida for Lewd Or Lascivious Battery of a victim 12-15 years old from 2004.
Florida
Miami ranks among top U.S. cities for debt collection calls as Florida places near top, study finds
Miami residents are among the Americans most likely to receive debt collection calls, according to a new study examining Federal Trade Commission complaint data.
The NumberBarn analysis ranked Miami fourth among the nation’s largest metro areas for debt collection complaints after adjusting for population. Florida also ranked fourth among all states for debt collection complaints per capita.
Nationwide, consumers filed more than 471,000 debt collection complaints with the FTC in 2025, more than twice the total reported a year earlier. Nearly 47% of those complaints described collectors as abusive, threatening or harassing.
Researchers caution that not every complaint involves a legitimate debt collector. Many consumers reported they believed the debt was inaccurate or that the calls were part of a scam.
Florida ranked behind Georgia, Texas and Louisiana for debt collection complaints per capita, underscoring the growing number of Floridians reporting issues with collection calls.
Among major metropolitan areas, Atlanta ranked first, followed by Dallas and Houston, with Miami placing fourth nationally. Miami also ranked among the five metro areas with the highest overall volume of complaints filed during 2025.
Researchers say the sharp increase in complaints may reflect rising household debt, more aggressive collection activity and greater public awareness of the FTC’s complaint system.
The study found Americans between ages 30 and 39 filed the largest number of complaints last year, followed by those ages 40 to 49 and 20 to 29, groups often managing mortgages, credit card balances, student loans and other major financial obligations.
Tips for consumers
Experts recommend taking several steps if you receive repeated debt collection calls:
- Ask the collector to provide written verification of the debt.
- Never give out sensitive financial information until you’ve confirmed the caller is legitimate.
- Learn your protections under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
- Report abusive or suspicious calls to the FTC.
- Consider using call-blocking features available through your phone carrier or a trusted app.
Florida
Deadly July 4th shooting arrest; South Florida man accused of Miami stabbing attack
Florida
South Florida’s top deals: Davie school building sells for $16M
🏆 Residential: The top home sale to hit records was in Pinecrest, where a home at 5865 Southwest 96th Street changed hands for $7.8 million. The sellers were Luis and Liz Messianu, who purchased the 7,800-square-foot property in 2024 for $7.3 million. The buyer was Bunny S Sunshine Haven LLC. The home went on the market in February for $8.2 million. Judith and Nathan Zeder with Coldwell Banker Realty had the listing, and Dennis Carvajal with One Sotheby’s International Realty brought the buyer.
🏆 Commercial: The most expensive recorded commercial deal was in Davie, where a school building sold for $16 million at 3367 North University Drive. The seller was 3367 N University Holdings LLC; the buyer was JSI N University LLC. The building measures about 46,000 square feet.
📊 Residential: Matthew and Nadia Weaver purchased a newly built home at 299 Northeast Seventh Street in Boca Raton for $6.8 million. The seller was a company managed by Marco Capoccia. Built this year, the home measures 5,800 square feet and has five bedrooms and five and a half bathrooms. The sale breaks down to about $1,200 per square foot. Jacqueline Feldman with One Sotheby’s International Realty represented both sides of the transaction.
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