TAMPA, FL – Santiago Burbano, a South Florida man, was sentenced to life imprisonment after fatally stabbing of his girlfriend in his home. Burbano had reportedly attacked 18-year-old Rubi De Los Angeles Velasco in his Naples apartment in 2018, stabbing her 80 times.
The incident unfolded when Burbano confessed to the crime via text to a few friends, then informed his mother, which led her to reach out to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office. Responding officers found Burbano at his desk in a state of distress, holding a gun towards his head with visible signs of fresh cuts.
Next to him lay the lifeless body of Velasco, accompanied by a knife approximately eight inches long and a deep slash across her throat.
A life sentence handed down on Monday effectively bars Burbano from potentially causing harm in Collier County, according to Sheriff Kevin Rambosk. “I want to thank our detectives and our partners at the State Attorney’s Office for their diligent work in investigating this case and bringing this person to justice for what can only be described as a horrific crime,” he added.
Burbano was charged with second-degree murder. In May, he pleaded no contest, foregoing a jury trial. After hearing the arguments, the judge ruled Burbano guilty, according to the sheriff.