Inset: Zaryanna Marshall (Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office). Background: The neighborhood where Zaryanna Marshall lives and is accused of attacking a man she met online (Google Maps).
Authorities in Florida report that a woman met a man through an online connection and allegedly attempted to murder him just two days later during an overnight stay by stabbing him in the neck after being called an offensive name for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Zaryanna Marshall, 22, faces charges of attempted murder following the incident on a Saturday evening at a residence located in the 400 block of Southeast 35th Avenue in Homestead, per legal documents.
A criminal complaint accessed by Law&Crime on Tuesday details that Marshall had connected with the victim online, subsequently inviting him to stay overnight at her home. Once there, an argument reportedly broke out between the two.
“The victim began to gather his belongings in order to leave,” the complaint says.
Police allege that Marshall began searching through the victim’s belongings in an effort to find “rolling paper for smoking marijuana.” This act allegedly led the victim to insult her with a derogatory word.
“The victim described the subject as retarded, to which she responded, ‘You wanna see retarded?'” the complaint reveals. “The subject then grabbed a knife and proceeded to stab the victim in the back of the neck.”
The Homestead Police Department received a 911 call and responded to the scene at around 9:05 p.m. Saturday. Officers located the victim and transported him to a local hospital for treatment. Detectives spoke to him about the alleged attack while he was in the hospital, the complaint says.
“The victim stated he met [Marshall] on social media two days ago,” police allege. “The subject invited the victim to her residence and he spent the night.”
Authorities later showed the victim a photo lineup and he allegedly pointed out Marshall. Authorities returned to the young woman’s residence on Sunday and arrested her.
“The subject stated the incident was self-defense,” the complaint says. “The subject stated the victim punched her once in the face and she armed herself with the knife and stabbed the victim,” it adds. “The subject had no signs of injury and would not allow officers to photograph her.”
Court records show that Marshall is currently on probation and was on a “monitored release” house arrest program at the time of the alleged attack. She was arrested for armed robbery in July, domestic battery in 2023, and battery in 2022.
Marshall is due in court on Sept. 9 for the attempted murder charge.
