House Guests Charged In Miami Beach Mansion Attack

MIAMI BEACH, FL — Two house guests at a Miami Beach mansion were charged with allegedly stabbing one of the owners of the $3 million home in the back. A second homeowner suffered cuts on his hand when he attempted to intervene. Both victims suffered non life-threatening injuries.

The incident occurred in the 5100 block of Pine Tree Drive, a wealthy enclave of large single-family homes in a tree-lined neighborhood shortly before 3 p.m. (Sign up for our free Daily Newsletters and Breaking News Alerts for the Miami Beach Patch.)

The injured homeowners were identified as twenty-seven-year-old Malcolm Sawyer, who was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital in stable condition with three stab wounds to his back. The other victim, 57-year-old Michael G. Sension, suffered superficial cuts to his left hand.

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"Upon officers' arrival, we located one of the male homeowners with a stab wound," said Ernesto Rodriguez of the Miami Beach Police Department.

Police arrested 25-year-old Tiaijia Hilliard and 25-year-old Brandon Jackson, both of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Hilliard was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapons. Jackson was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Hilliard listed her occupation as laborer while Jackson told police he is a cook.

Sension dialed 9-1-1. When police arrived, Hilliard allegedly said: "I acted on impulse and made a mistake."

Hillard and Jackson had been staying at the seven-bedroom, seven bathroom home for four months when Jackson got into a verbal argument with Sawyer, his friend of 10 years, according to police. Police said the two men began shoving one another and Hilliard grabbed two knives from the kitchen counter.

"Defendant Hilliard then ran behind victim sawyer and stabbed him in the back several times," arrest documents stated. "Victim sawyer proceeded to push defendant Hilliard down to the ground, as victim Sension, the homeowner, intervened to restrain defendant Hilliard."

Police said that Sension was cut on the middle finger of his left hand while attempting to restrain Hilliard. Jackson allegedly disarmed Hilliard but then allegedly pointed a knife toward Sawyer's chest in a threatening manner.

"While arguing, the victim then separated from the defendant by running into the pool house and towards the garage," arrest documents said of Jackson. "The defendant then ran into the garage and reengaged the victim verbally while holding the knife in hand."

Photos courtesy of Miami-Dade Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation