By Robbyn Mitchell, Times staff writer
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
TAMPA — Prosecutors charged a rooming house tenant Wednesday with the murder of his landlord's son in July.
Julio M. Perez, 35, had been arrested July 10 and charged with being a felon in possession of firearm.
Police said Perez argued with 23-year-old Jamar Edwards between 2 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. that morning in a bedroom at the rooming house at 2710 E Columbus Drive.
Perez then stabbed Edwards 20 times and hid his body in a rear storage room, according to Tampa police. Someone discovered Edwards in the room after 7 p.m. that night.
Police questioned the residents and arrested Perez that day on the gun charge. At some point, Perez confessed to the murder, police said.
Edwards was visiting the rooming house owned by his mother and sister, family members told the St. Petersburg Times. They said he would sometimes stop there to rest after nights out in nearby Ybor City.