Jose Rafael Cantarero (Orange County Sheriff’s Office) and the scene outside the home where he allegedly killed two men (WESH screenshot)
A 29-year-old man in Florida is accused of killing two men, allegedly bashing their heads in with a hammer to get “revenge” on the victims for previously pressing charges against him.
Jose Rafael Cantarero was taken into custody on Saturday and charged with two counts of first-degree murder with a weapon in the horrific slayings of Joseph Garcia Oliver and Eswin Jose Aragon Hernandez, authorities announced.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Law&Crime, deputies with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office at about 10 p.m. on Jan. 27, 2024, responded to a call at a residence located in the 1000 block of Tucker Avenue in Orlando in reference to a “man down call.” The caller, a male identified in the document as “the witness,” told the dispatcher that Cantarero had just killed two people inside of the home.
Upon arriving at the scene, deputies observed two adult males lying on the floor inside of the residence. They were both surrounded by large pools of blood on the floor and appeared to have suffered “severe trauma” to the head. Blood spatter was also found on the walls around both of the bodies.
“Just outside the back door of the residence at 1024 Tucker Avenue, a hammer was found,” the affidavit states. “Based on the witness statement, this was possibly the hammer that was used to murder both victims.”
The witness told detectives that he was in his backyard at the Tucker Avenue house waiting for Cantarero, who came out of the back door at about 7 p.m. holding a bloody hammer. Cantarero allegedly told the witness he had “just murdered two people inside the house” and needed help disposing of the bodies. The witness said he declined to help.
” (Cantarero) also led the witness inside the house and showed him where both victims were. The witness described (Cantarero) using the hammer and playing with the human remains. The witness also recalled (Cantarero) saying, ‘That’s what you get,’” the affidavit states. “The witness explains he believes Jose murdered the victims due to revenge for pressing charges against Jose in a previous case.”
It was not immediately clear what previous case the witness was referring to.
The witness said he and Cantarero then went to another address where Cantarero showered and changed clothes. Shortly after, the witness said Cantarero armed himself with an AR-15-style rifle.
While detectives were interviewing the witness, Cantarero arrived at the home driving a silver Chevrolet Sonic and was immediately taken into custody. He was then transported to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Central Operations building.
In a post-Miranda interview, Jose denied having anything to do with the double-homicide.
“Furthermore, Jose denied ever coming into contact with the victims,” police wrote. “As the interview continued, detectives observed a red splotch on Jose’s forearm that closely resembled blood.”
Cantarero is currently being held in the Orange County Jail without bond. It was not immediately clear when he is next scheduled to appear in court.
