Fonseca and Reynolds robbed the victim of his shoes, his phone, his money and his car. They then took turns cutting his throat before throwing him over the bridge rail and into the Escambia River, said sheriffs. — Photo by Sara Rostenne on Unsplash
A man who thought he was going on a date with a woman he met online was instead beaten, robbed and thrown off a bridge, a Florida sheriff’s office said.
Natalie Fonseca, 25, started messaging a man on Facebook on Oct 6 and asked him if he could help her get some food, according to an arrest report obtained by WEAR.
He agreed and took her to a taco truck before dropping her off at home, the outlet reported.
The next day, she asked if he wanted to go on a date, have dinner and hangout, according to an Oct 24 Facebook post from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
The man drove to Fonseca’s house, where he was met by another man, 31-year-old Nafis Reynolds, deputies said.
Fonseca introduced Reynolds as her “uncle”, according to the sheriff’s office, and the three of them got in a car together.
They drove to Reynolds’s house for a cookout, according to the arrest report obtained by WEAR, before later leaving in the man’s car with Fonseca driving.
“During the ride, Fonseca and Nafis both hit the victim several times and told him he was going to die,” the sheriff’s office said in the post. “They robbed him of his shoes, his phone, his money and his car. They then took turns cutting his throat before throwing him over the bridge rail and into the Escambia River.”
Deputies said the two then drove off in the stolen car. They later set the car on fire down the road, according to the sheriff’s office.
As they drove away, the man was still alive in the river, and he swam toward land, according to the post.
He reached the shore of the river and collapsed, lying there until he was discovered by a boater the next morning, according to the arrest report obtained by WEAR.
They were able to flag down a deputy, according to the sheriff’s office, and the man survived.
Using surveillance footage and information from a previous domestic disturbance, deputies were able to identify Fonseca and Nafis, who were actually in a relationship, according to WEAR.
Both Fonseca and Nafis were charged with attempted murder, armed carjacking, armed robbery and kidnapping, according to the sheriff’s office.
Pensacola is about 200 miles west of Tallahassee. – The Charlotte Observer/Tribune News Service
