Almost a day after committing a series of crimes, the Albanian Renato Muhaj appeared before the court in the USA. There are 8 charges against the Albanian, the most serious being the murder of his ex-partner Suela Saliaj, also Albanian.
The Largo, Florida district attorney's office says the 34-year-old's crimes escalated in a matter of hours.
American media published footage of Muhaj in court.
The judge read him the long list of charges, set bail at $50,000 and informed him that he would not be able to use that right because of the charge of first degree murder.
Detectives say Muhaj brutally killed his ex-wife, Suela, and then kidnapped their daughter. Upon discovering the body of the young woman and the absence of her little daughter, the authorities issued an AMBER alert.
Muhaj was found a short time later with his daughter in the car and was arrested.
In the investigative file released by US media, detectives describe Muhaj's attack on his parents in Clearwater around 2:45 a.m. Monday and how he refused to let them call 911. Detectives write that he then went to Suela's home in Largo, where he used a fist enhancer and a knife to beat and kill her in front of their 8-year-old daughter.
The latter told the police that she had asked her father why he killed her mother and he told her that he 'wanted Suela to die'. Investigators found the crime weapons at the scene. The 8-year-old also confessed that after the murder, her father forcibly pulled her into the car (Read more).
The crime left the neighbors shocked: "It's very sad to hear what happened to her mother, she's so young," says one of them.
The judge also made sure that Muhaj will never be able to see his daughter if he ever gets out of prison. Meanwhile, the 34-year-old himself did not express any emotion in court. He had only one question: "Will you appoint a lawyer for me?"
"Yes", answered the judge, adding that the lawyer was present at the session.
Among the charges against the 34-year-old are murder, abuse of minors, kidnapping and violence against his own parents.