A 35-year-old woman in Florida has been arrested for the murder of her 79-year-old roommate. The incident occurred over a month ago when the suspect allegedly beat and stabbed the victim before setting their shared home on fire. Nichole A. Maks was taken into custody on Saturday evening and is now facing charges of first-degree murder, tampering with evidence, and resisting arrest with violence. The arrest comes after an investigation that was done by authorities in Daytona Beach.
On July 1, 2023, firefighters in Daytona Beach responded to an emergency call reporting a fire at a residence on Clark Street. Upon arrival, they discovered the lifeless body of a man in a second-story bedroom. The victim had suffered severe blunt force trauma to the back of his head and multiple stab wounds. Police were immediately called to the scene, where they found a bloody knife and two cell phones near the victim’s body. Blood spatter was also found on the walls.
One of the cell phones recovered at the scene belonged to Nichole A. Maks, who was not present when firefighters arrived. Authorities quickly identified her as a person of interest in the investigation and issued a bulletin. In the early hours of the morning, a detective spotted Maks at a restaurant in Holly Hill. When approached, she allegedly dropped a knife and a hammer in the detective’s presence. Maks had blood on her leg and a torn shirt.
During questioning, Maks initially claimed to have been living on the streets for the past four years and denied knowing the victim. However, she later admitted to living with him for a brief period but insisted she had only seen him a few times and denied being present on the day of the murder. Due to her inconsistent statements, Maks was taken into custody.
During her post-Miranda interview, Maks confessed to possessing a knife and hammer, which she initially denied. When questioned about the fire, she became agitated and requested an attorney. Maks later poured a can of soda over herself and resisted officers’ attempts to secure her in a vehicle. This led to additional charges of tampering with evidence and resisting arrest with violence.
Detectives discovered that the DNA from the blood on the knife found near the victim matched Maks’ DNA sample. As a result, she is being held without bond and is scheduled to appear in court for her arraignment on September 5th.