Jealousy Over Girl Caused Teen To Beat Boy With Bat: Sheriff

LAKE WALES, FL – After first claiming self-defense, a 16-year-old Lake Wales teen told Pasco County Sheriff’s detectives that he was angry about 15-year-old Giovanni Diaz’ relationship with a girl he liked when he killed Diaz with a baseball bat.

Dillen Alex Murray of 247 2nd Ave. N. Lake Wales, was arrested Monday, March 19 after he confessed to beating Diaz with a metal baseball bat while the two were in the woods near their neighborhood.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said it took hours of questioning Murray and his friends to uncover what he believes is the real motivation for the killing – jealousy.

Friends of both teens told detectives that Diaz was having a sexual relationship with a girl Murray liked.

When confronted with this information, Murray admitted that Diaz told him about his relationship with the girl Murray was “in love with” the week before.

Diaz repeated the story about the girl when the two met in the woods on Monday. Murray said he pointed the bat at Diaz who said he wasn’t afraid and called Murray a name.

At that point, Murray said he began hitting Diaz with the bat and continued striking him when he fell to the ground.

Diaz suffered extensive blunt force trauma to the head, face, chest and arms.

Detectives, however, believe they have evidence that shows premeditation on Murray’s part, leading them to charge him with first-degree murder.

Detectives said Diaz’ cell phone contained a text message from Murray, stating, "Yo...Meet me at rocks after school so we can chill.” Diaz agreed to meet him but when he hadn’t shown up at the agreed upon time, Murray sent Diaz 13 text messages asking where he was.

Murray initially told detectives that Diaz, who lives nearby at 153 Lake Caloosa Circle N, approached him last week and asked to meet him on Monday to smoke pot in the woods. Afterward, Murray told detectives that Diaz suggested they play some baseball.

Murray claimed that Diaz attacked him first and the incident was self-defense. Murray later changed his story to say he attacked Diaz.

Image via Polk County Sheriff