By Fallan Patterson
Staff Writer

Osceola County Sheriff's detective's arrested transient David-Israel Zenon Murillo Monday afternoon and charged him with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Matteo P. Giovanditto in Celebration over Thanksgiving weekend.

Murillo was being held without bond in the Osceola County Jail.

Murillo, 28, who lived in a campsite west of the Ramada Inn on East U.S. Highway 192 in Kissimmee, was previously arrested Sunday afternoon near the Walmart in St. Cloud and charged with dealing in stolen property for trying to sell the victim's collectable coins in a store in downtown Kissimmee.

The store's name has not yet been released, however, Twis Lizasuain, public information officer for the Sheriff's Office, said the store's owner and employees are working with detectives.

Murillo had been on surveillance throughout last week after detectives identified him as a person of interest within hours of starting the Nov. 29 investigation. Officers discovered a recent photograph of Murillo on Giovanditto's computer as well as the suspect's fingerprints in the victim's Water Street condominium.

“Detectives worked around the clock and put a case together, like they do with all homicides,” Lizasuain said.

Last Saturday, Murillo was brought in for questioning after they discovered he was trying to sell Giovanditto's coins.

“He fully cooperated with detectives and was able to provide specific details of the crime,” Lizasuain said.

Murillo told detectives that he and Giovanditto, 58, had known each other for a year and had no contact until Murillo called and spoke with him on Thanksgiving Day. Giovanditto then picked Murillo up and brought him to his Celebration condominium.

Giovanditto was a counselor and was known to have contact with local homeless individuals, including inviting them to his condominium, Lizasuain said.

“We don't really know what (Giovanditto and Murillo's) relationship was,” Lizasuain said.

Murillo told investigators he drank a beer in the condominium, he and Giovanditto got into an argument and Murillo became enraged.

He found a small ax similar to a hatchet in the victim's closet and struck Giovanditto in the back of the head, Murillo told detectives, and continued to smash Giovanditto's head on the floor until he became unconscious.

The Orange-Osceola County Medical Examiner's office confirmed Giovanditto died from blunt force trauma and strangulation.

Giovanditto was found on his kitchen floor covered by a blanket by a female neighbor Nov. 29 after she became concerned she had not seen him all weekend.

Last Sunday, detectives obtained a search warrant for Murillo's Kissimmee campsite located in a wooded area off East U.S. Highway 192, and reported finding the murder weapon as well as Giovanditto's Apple iPad, cash and collector’s coins.

Detectives Monday searched a canal along Thacker Avenue north of Columbia Avenue after being directed there by Murillo for additional evidence.

There, investigators found the victim's shoes and the keys to his 2008 Chevrolet Corvette, which was stolen from the crime scene and later found by detectives in the parking lot of the Reef Club apartments in Kissimmee on Nov. 30 due to a Crimeline tip.

Investigators are continuing their search in the area this week, Lizasuain said.

In 2008, Murillo was sentenced in Osceola County to nine months in jail for carrying a concealed firearm and battery on a law enforcement officer.