MIAMI, FL – Authorities have charged a Florida woman with first-degree murder after a grisly discovery inside a Miami-area hotel room, where the body of a man was found concealed beneath a bed by a maintenance worker repairing a phone line.
Elizabeth Hernandez, 39, is facing charges of murder, grand theft, and fraudulent use of a credit card in connection with the death of 41-year-old Jason Anderson. Investigators allege that Hernandez killed Anderson in June before stealing approximately $6,000 from his bank account and leaving it entirely depleted.
Police were called to the Holiday Inn Express near Miami International Airport after a staff member, conducting routine maintenance on June 20, found Anderson’s naked body hidden under the bed. The Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner later ruled Anderson’s death a homicide, citing blunt force trauma, facial cuts, bite marks, and neck hemorrhaging.
According to police reports, Anderson had checked into the hotel with Hernandez a day earlier, with surveillance footage showing them together at the front desk alongside another man, identified as Yoan Guzman-Zequeira, 41. By June 20, cameras captured Hernandez and Guzman-Zequeira departing the hotel, carrying several bags, including what appeared to be sheets or towels.
Authorities say Guzman-Zequeira wore a change of clothing upon leaving, possibly belonging to Anderson. The criminal complaint states that Anderson had already been killed and hidden under the bed by the time the pair exited the premises.
Police allege Hernandez used Anderson’s debit card following the killing, withdrawing cash and making purchases that quickly drained the victim’s account. Hernandez and Guzman-Zequeira later visited Casino Miami, where they met a third individual. That person told police he needed somewhere to rest, prompting Guzman-Zequeira to offer the hotel room.
When the unnamed witness entered the Holiday Inn room, he immediately noticed it was in disarray and became uncomfortable. He later told investigators that Guzman-Zequeira became agitated when he touched items in the room. The witness left shortly after and did not spend the night.
Investigators reviewed hotel surveillance footage, corroborating the witness’s timeline and actions. After Anderson’s body was discovered, police arrived to find bloodstains on the wall and bathroom door, evidence consistent with the violent struggle described in the complaint.
Despite being observed on video and present at the scene, Guzman-Zequeira and the third witness have not been charged in connection with Anderson’s death. The investigation remains ongoing.
Hernandez is currently being held without bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami-Dade County as she awaits further legal proceedings.