{"id":305569,"date":"2026-06-12T19:51:12","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T19:51:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/305569\/"},"modified":"2026-06-12T19:51:12","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T19:51:12","slug":"florida-man-charged-with-grandmothers-death-said-he-snapped-her-neck","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/305569\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida man charged with grandmother’s death; said he snapped her neck"},"content":{"rendered":"

A 29-year-old man who told Indian River County Sheriff\u2019s officials in February he killed his 76-year-old grandmother<\/a> was charged this month in connection with her death, the agency stated.<\/p>\n

Nicholas Ivey was charged June 3 with murder following the slaying months earlier of his grandmother, Patricia Dibella, the sheriff\u2019s office stated. Ivey had been held on other charges since February.<\/p>\n

Ivey was arrested Feb. 3 on charges including grand theft auto; criminal use of personal ID information; possessing, receiving, retaining a stolen credit or debit card; and fraudulent use of a credit card, according to the sheriff’s office.<\/p>\n

According to statements in Ivey’s earlier arrest affidavit, he said he killed her “by \u2018snapping her neck\u2019 and punching and stomping on her head while she was on the ground.”<\/p>\n

Sheriff\u2019s officials about 8:15 p.m. Feb. 2 went to a welfare check in the 5000 block of Fairways Circle, within the Fairways at Grand Harbor condominiums off Indian River Boulevard in Indian River County where the 76-year-old woman and Ivey live.<\/p>\n

Investigators had been asked to check on the woman, who last had been heard from Feb. 1.<\/p>\n

Statements in Ivey\u2019s arrest affidavit, obtained Feb. 4, contain significant detail.<\/p>\n

In the document, Robert Ivey reported his mother-in-law, 76-year-old Patricia Dibella, wasn\u2019t answering the phone. He said his son, Nicholas Ivey, lived with her.<\/p>\n

\u201cRobert reported that Nicholas contacted him by telephone and told him Dibella was dead,\u201d an affidavit states.<\/p>\n

Nicholas Ivey was standing in front of one of the buildings and told investigators Dibella was dead inside.<\/p>\n

A sheriff\u2019s corporal found a woman on a bed in the master bedroom.<\/p>\n

\u201cPatricia, can you wake up?\u201d the corporal said.<\/p>\n

There was no response, and she was determined to be dead.<\/p>\n

Nicholas Ivey was taken into custody, and told investigators \u201cshe came at me with a knife.\u201d<\/p>\n

At one point Nicholas Ivey told a detective \u201che killed his grandmother,\u201d the affidavit states.<\/p>\n

He said Dibella \u201cpoked\u201d him in the back with a kitchen steak knife with a white handle.<\/p>\n

Nicholas Ivey said about 9 p.m. Feb. 1 \u201che killed Patricia by \u2018snapping her neck\u2019 and punching and stomping on her head while she was on the ground,\u201d the affidavit states.<\/p>\n

He said he moved the body from the kitchen floor to the bed, using towels to clean the kitchen floor and putting the knife in a kitchen drawer.<\/p>\n

He said he was wearing the sweatshirt he used when he killed Dibella, but washed it \u201cbecause it was covered in blood.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nicholas Ivey also said he washed the towels he used to clean blood off the kitchen floor.<\/p>\n

Case update: St. Lucie County burglary suspect ‘hooked’ on meth; says his money funds drugs<\/a><\/p>\n

More details: Stuart teen cites boredom as reason behind vehicle thefts, burglaries<\/a><\/p>\n

Nicholas Ivey said he didn\u2019t call 911 because he wanted first to speak with his father to decide what to do.<\/p>\n

Nicholas Ivey also said he took Dibella\u2019s wallet and credit cards and about 11 a.m. Feb. 2 drove her vehicle to buy cigarettes and beer with her credit card.<\/p>\n

\u201cNicholas returned home and later made contact with his father, Robert, informing him he killed Dibella,\u201d the affidavit states.<\/p>\n

Will Greenlee<\/a>\u00a0is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on X\u00a0@OffTheBeatTweet<\/a>\u00a0or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at\u00a0will.greenlee@tcpalm.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Florida man charged with grandmother’s death; said he snapped her neck<\/a><\/p>\n