A man has been sentenced to death for the brutal killings of his girlfriend and her four-year-old daughter in their mobile home. Angel Gabriel Cuz-Choc, 33, took the lives of Amalia Coc Choc de Pec, 36, and Estrella Anastasia Pec Coc on April 24, 2024.
Prosecutors revealed that Cuz-Choc attacked and murdered Amalia with a shovel and knife after becoming enraged when she returned home later than expected. The tragic incident unfolded at a mobile home on Sumner Road in Dover, near Tampa, on April 24, 2024. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a deceased female at around 5:30 pm.
Law enforcement officers discovered a bloody handprint on the mobile home’s side, indicating a struggle by the victim to escape. Amalia was found lifeless in a trailer in the backyard, while her daughter was found dead inside the home.
After the killings, Cuz-Choc fled, leading to an 18-hour manhunt that ended when a police dog located him in nearby dense vegetation. Following a trial, a jury convicted Cuz-Choc of two counts of first-degree murder and recommended the death penalty, a decision upheld by Hillsborough Circuit Judge Michelle Sisco.
During sentencing, Judge Sisco described the brutal attack, stating that Cuz-Choc had killed Amalia outside the home before entering the residence to murder Estrella in the bathtub. The judge emotionally characterized the assault on Estrella as “heinous, atrocious, and cruel,” citing multiple injuries sustained by the young girl.
Investigators recovered weapons linked to the murders and surveillance footage showing Cuz-Choc chasing Amalia on the property. Cuz-Choc, an undocumented immigrant with ties to previous murders in Guatemala, claimed not to remember the attacks during the trial.
State Attorney Suzy Lopez expressed the gravity of the case, emphasizing the pursuit of justice for the victims and their family. The sentencing marked a somber yet necessary step towards closure for the affected parties.
