‘I Just Did What I Was Told’: Man Testifies in Grisly Florida Murder Case
A Florida courtroom heard chilling testimony this week from a man who says he was forced to help cover up his girlfriend’s murder after witnessing her brutal stabbing. Elga Davis II, 29, told the court he was threatened, disguised, and ordered to help clean up the scene and hide his girlfriend’s body in a box.
The testimony came during a pretrial detention hearing for 42-year-old Arnaldo Cintron, accused of killing 41-year-old Hiojaira Mercedes Velez-Bonilla during an argument inside her Riverview home on August 15. Prosecutors are seeking to keep Cintron in jail without bond, citing the severity of the crime and the risk to witnesses.
Deadly Argument Escalates
Davis, who had been dating Velez-Bonilla, said he was present at her home when an argument broke out between her and Cintron, the boyfriend of her cousin, 37-year-old Giselle Marie Santiago Bonilla. The two argued loudly in Spanish about household chores and bills before the confrontation turned violent.
“I hear them arguing, and I hear him say, ‘don’t call me names no more,’” Davis testified. He then heard the sound of his girlfriend being struck in the throat. When he ran over, he saw Velez-Bonilla on the floor, writhing in pain as Cintron stabbed her repeatedly.
Davis said he froze in fear before realizing he, too, was in danger. “He comes at me with a knife and says, ‘I don’t want witnesses, feel me?’” Davis recalled. Terrified, he complied with Cintron’s orders.
Forced to Help With Cover-Up
According to prosecutors, Cintron and Santiago Bonilla cornered Davis and forced him to help clean up the bloody crime scene. They allegedly told him if he did not cooperate, he would be killed next.
The witness described being made to grab a box from the garage to store Velez-Bonilla’s body. “Did she fit in the box?” a prosecutor asked. Davis hesitated before replying: “Yes, but we had to make it fit.”
Even more disturbingly, Cintron allegedly forced Davis to put on one of the victim’s dresses and a wig. Prosecutors say this bizarre act was part of a scheme to mislead potential witnesses as they disposed of the body and other evidence.
Involving the Victim’s Children
Court documents revealed that during the cleanup, one of Velez-Bonilla’s teenage sons emerged from his room and asked about his mother. Cintron and Santiago Bonilla allegedly told him they were cleaning up a spilled drink and that his mother had left to see another man.
Meanwhile, prosecutors say the group spent several hours scrubbing the home, gathering cleaning supplies, and placing them in a trash bag with the alleged murder weapon.
Body Transport and Disposal
Davis testified that the suspects loaded the cardboard box containing Velez-Bonilla’s body into her car, along with the trash bag. They then forced him to drive to meet a man known only as “Tarzan.” When Tarzan entered the car, Cintron reportedly told him, “You know one eye Willy is in the back,” a chilling reference to the victim, who wore an eye patch due to a medical condition.
The group discussed ways to further conceal the body, including breaking teeth and cutting off hands to prevent identification. Ultimately, they drove across the Gandy Bridge into St. Petersburg and dumped the box in the dense mangroves of Weedon Island Preserve.
Realizing they had left behind the trash bag of supplies, they forced Davis to return and retrieve it. Prosecutors say the bag was later discarded at an apartment complex.
Financial Motive
Prosecutors also allege that Cintron accessed the victim’s bank account, which held over $30,000, and even offered Davis money afterward. Investigators believe the financial angle may have played a role in the crime.
Aftermath and Arrests
The case began when Davis walked into the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office the night of August 15 to report his girlfriend’s murder. He later led detectives to the remote area where her remains were dumped.
Cintron has been charged with second-degree murder, unlawfully moving a body, tampering with evidence, and tampering with a witness. Santiago Bonilla faces charges of unlawfully moving a body, accessory after the fact, and witness tampering. Her bond has been set at $200,000.
Sheriff Chad Chronister condemned the brutality of the crime:
“This was a brutal act of violence followed by a callous attempt to cover it up. No life should ever be taken in such a senseless manner, and no attempt to conceal a crime will shield those responsible from justice.”
Court’s Ruling
After reviewing the testimony and evidence, the judge agreed with prosecutors that Cintron posed too great a risk to be released. He will remain in jail without bond as the case proceeds.
For Davis, the ordeal was one of survival. “I just did what I was told,” he said in court, describing how fear and threats kept him in line as he was dragged into the gruesome cover-up of his girlfriend’s murder.
The case remains under active investigation as prosecutors prepare for trial. With the shocking details of coercion, disguise, and body disposal, it has become one of the most disturbing homicide cases in recent Florida history.
