UPDATED: One Dead In Stabbing At Deltona Burger King; Suspect Arrested

Date Added: April 03, 2018 5:27 am

Andrew Gant
Office of Public Affairs & Media Relations

***Update*** The person of interest detained after this morning’s fatal stabbing at Burger King has been charged with second-degree murder.

Samantha L. Bonilla, 29 (DOB 8/28/1988), of Deltona, was captured on Burger King surveillance video stabbing the victim, 29-year-old Justin D. Hooks (DOB 12/31/1988) of Spring Hill in Hernando County.

The video showed Hooks and a friend sitting together outside the restaurant, playing cards at a table near the front doors. Bonilla showed up and engaged in a confrontation with Hooks. After a brief scuffle, she moved toward him with a knife pointed at his face. Hooks turned away and pushed Bonilla, who fell to the ground and dropped the knife. She got up, picked up the knife again, stabbed him and left.

Bonilla, Hooks and the friend who witnessed the stabbing all worked at the Burger King. The altercation appeared to be related to intimate relationships Bonilla had with Hooks and with the other co-worker.

After leaving the scene, Bonilla saw a VCSO vehicle and flashed her headlights to flag down a deputy. A witness also called 911 to report the stabbing.

ONE DEAD IN STABBING AT DELTONA BURGER KING; PERSON OF INTEREST DETAINED

The Volusia County Sheriff's Office is investigating a fatal stabbing that occurred overnight at a Deltona Burger King. A person of interest has been detained, and interviews are continuing early this morning.

The stabbing occurred shortly before a deputy was flagged down around 2:31 a.m. at the Burger King at 2790 Elkcam Blvd. The victim, an adult male, was pronounced dead around 3:25 a.m. at the Halifax Health hospital in Deltona.

The victim's name is not available pending notification of next of kin. The identity of the person of interest is not being released at this time, either, due to the active status of the investigation. While no additional information is available for release at this point, updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.