Suspect fatally stabbed woman more than 50 times, sheriff says

MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — WPTV is learning more about a violent, random stabbing that took place last week in a quiet neighborhood near Stuart, claiming the life of a 73-year-old woman.

The Martin County Sheriff’s Office on Monday released the arrest affidavit for Kersten Francilus, 25, who is accused of randomly targeting the woman while she was walking her dog in the Southwood community.

Investigators previously said the victim was stabbed “upwards of 16 times,” but now believe she was stabbed more than 50 times.

“Unfortunately, it’s even worse than what I described the other day,” Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said Monday.

WATCH BELOW: Sheriff discusses latest in random, brutal stabbing investigation

‘Even worse than I described’: Sheriff discusses latest in random, brutal stabbing investigation

The victim has now been identified in the affidavit as 73-year-old Joyce Ellen Thompson Adams.

According to the affidavit, the first responding deputy arrived at the intersection of Southeast Black Oak Lane and Woods Edge Trail and witnessed Kersten Francilus stabbing Thompson Adams in the neck and back.

Francilus dropped the knife and complied with commands to get on the ground, investigators said.

First responders took the woman to the Cleveland Clinic South Emergency Room, where she was pronounced dead. A doctor noted she suffered approximately 16 to 17 stab wounds.

Victim of random Martin County stabbing attack remembered as ‘delightful woman’

Before the stabbing, residents reported a man matching the suspect’s description walking through the area, approaching homes and asking about a bank. Callers noted he appeared “out of it.”

“Yeah, he was knocking on doors, and most, I guess, everybody you know, just kept their door closed,” neighbors Peter Burke and Lori Soo said.

The affidavit says a resident in the neighborhood told investigators the man came to her house and asked for a bank. When she opened the door, he attempted to step inside, but she shut the door and alerted her husband.

“He asked multiple ladies if their husbands were home. All of which responded yes and closed the door. We have two kids that were in an open garage door where he asked them if the kids’ parents were home and they turned around and — thankfully — ran inside and shut the door,” Budensiek said. “This could have been a lot worse.”

Investigators spoke with the suspect’s mother, who confirmed the serrated knife used in the attack came from their home. She told detectives she usually stored the knives above the microwave to “essentially hide them” from her son.

His mother also told investigators her son had not taken his medication since February.

“He was on types of psychotropic medications for psychological problems,” Budensiek said. “He was off the meds just because he didn’t want to take them.”

Woman dead after man randomly stabs her in Martin County neighborhood

The sheriff’s office noted Francilus had two encounters with Law Enforcement prior to the stabbing, both of which were in 2025.

Budensiek said one involved an encounter with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, resulting in Francilus getting Baker Acted.

The other, which Budensiek said happened in September of 2025, involved Francilus’ mother calling the Sheriff’s Office to report her son was hearing voices.

‘The voices telling him to go here, go there,” said Budensiek. “Our deputies got there, asked him if he was suicidal, ‘no,’ ‘Do you want to hurt anyone?’ ‘No,’ so at that point we didn’t have enough to Baker Act him.”

Budensiek added the suspect told deputies he admitted himself into a mental health facility down to Coral Shores a short time before that interaction, but deputies are still working to confirm whether that’s true.

During an interview with investigators, Francilus admitted to leaving his residence.

“Did what I did,” Francilus said.

When asked to describe the woman, he said she was Jewish, however, the affidavit also says investigators spoke with the victim’s daughter, who confirmed her mother was not Jewish.

When asked if anything about her mother could lead someone to think she was Jewish, she provided a brief response: “Possibly her appearance.”

“But nothing at this point indicates he was antisemitic at all,” said Budensiek.

Detectives are working to determine whether that belief played a role in why she was targeted.

Francilus is charged with first-degree premeditated murder.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.