Florida Woman Douses Herself in Mountain Dew After Roommate's Murder

Discovery of the Crime

• 🚨 At 3:00 a.m. in Daytona Beach, Florida, a barefoot woman was found with a hammer and a bloody knife, while an elderly man was discovered with multiple stab wounds in a house set ablaze.
• 🩸 The victim, 79-year-old Michael Sarasulli, was found in a second-story bedroom with stab wounds and blunt force trauma, and a gasoline can was toppled nearby, indicating an attempted arson.
• ⏱️ Detectives estimated the time of death between 1:10 and 1:40 a.m., noting the fire was recent but the victim had been deceased for some time.

Initial Encounter with Suspect

• 🚶 Police encountered Nichole Maks, the victim's roommate, near a bar. She had blood on her leg, was not wearing shoes, and was carrying a hammer and a knife.
• 💊 Officers found prescription pills in a bag with her, which she claimed were given to her, and also found men's clothing that she stated were not hers.
• 🗣️ Maks initially claimed to be homeless and denied knowing the victim, Michael Sarasulli, despite evidence suggesting otherwise.

Interrogation and Shifting Stories

• 🚗 During questioning, Maks's story shifted multiple times regarding her homelessness, her relationship with the victim, and her whereabouts.
• 🏥 She mentioned being at Halifax Health Medical Center earlier that day due to a panic attack, and discussed her past struggles with mental health and self-harm.
• 🏠 The owner of the house confirmed Mike was a contractor who had been through rough times, and Nicole was a tenant, denying any romantic relationship between them.

Arrest and Legal Proceedings

• ⚖️ Nicole Maks was arrested and charged with tampering with evidence and resisting arrest.
• 🧬 Despite pouring Diet Mountain Dew over herself in an attempt to erase DNA, her DNA was later matched to the knife found in the victim's bedroom.
• 🧠 Her defense team argued she was not mentally competent to stand trial due to years of abuse and delusions, but she was later found competent.

Sentencing and Motive

• ⚖️ In December 2023, Maks pleaded no contest to second-degree murder, arson, evidence tampering, and resisting arrest, receiving a 35-year sentence.
• 💔 A psychiatrist testified that abuse and untreated trauma led her to develop delusions that Mike was harming her, and she heard voices telling her to kill him.
• 😔 The judge acknowledged her mental health struggles and traumatic upbringing, suggesting these factors contributed to the crime, leading to a lenient sentence.