19 November 2025 :
November 16, 2025 - Florida. Angel Gabriel Cuz Choc sentenced to death
A jury in Hillsborough County has recommended that Angel Gabriel Cuz Choc be sentenced to death.
He is accused of murdering his girlfriend and her 4-year-old daughter.
Death Penalty for Illegal Immigrant in Brutal Stabbing Deaths of Girlfriend, 4-Year-Old
A Hillsborough County jury recommended the death penalty for Angel Gabriel Cuz Choc in the brutal stabbing deaths of his girlfriend, Amalia Coc Choc De Pec and her 4-year-old daughter Estrella. The State sought the death penalty in this case because of the heinous, atrocious, and cruel nature of the murders.
Cuz Choc attacked Amalia with a shovel and a knife, repeatedly striking and stabbing her. Her 4-year-old daughter was found stabbed to death in the bathtub. Prosecutors argued that Cuz Choc committed the crimes when he became angry after Amalia returned home late from an outing with a friend.
The jury found Cuz Choc guilty of the crimes before moving on to the penalty phase of the trial, which lasted more than 2 days.
Jurors heard from doctors about the intense pain and suffering both victims experienced during the murders. Amalia’s family testified about her life back in Guatemala. Amalia has three other children in her home country, where her sister said it is difficult for women to find work. Amalia was in the United States to make money to send back to her family.
“Jurors saw surveillance video of a joyful 4-year-old girl dancing around with a lollipop. She was enjoying a simple, happy moment with her mother at the grocery store,” said State Attorney Suzy Lopez. “Just 30 minutes later, the defendant would brutally murder them both. This defendant will be punished to the fullest extent of the law for these senseless acts of violence. Our hearts are with their loved ones in Guatemala and the United States as they navigate life without Amalia and Estrella.”
Death Penalty Specialist Scott Harmon and Assistant State Attorney Lindsey Hodges successfully prosecuted this case. The Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office represented the defendant.
The Central Florida jury found Angel Gabriel Cuz Choc guilty of first-degree murder in the brutal stabbing deaths of his girlfriend, Amalia Coc Choc De Pec and her 4-year-old daughter. The crimes occurred in April 2024 at their home in Dover in Hillsborough County.
Investigators learned that Cuz Choc was allegedly wanted for two separate murders in his home country of Guatemala before entering the United States illegally in September 2023. The same jury will now decide if he will be sentenced to death or if he will spend the rest of his life in prison.
Throughout the weeklong trial, jurors heard from detectives, crime scene analysts, and forensic experts who detailed the overwhelming evidence linking Cuz Choc to the killings. Investigators recovered multiple weapons tied to the crimes and presented chilling surveillance video showing the defendant chasing his girlfriend just hours before she was found stabbed and beaten to death. Her daughter’s body was later discovered in a bathtub inside the home.
Taking the stand in his own defense, Cuz Choc claimed he did not remember killing either victim. Prosecutors argued he became enraged when Amalia came home later than expected and attacked her in a fit of rage. After the murders, he fled into nearby woods, where law enforcement officers captured him the next day.
“My heart breaks for this mother and her little girl, whose lives were taken in acts of pure evil. He brutally murdered the woman he considered to be his wife, and the little girl he treated as a daughter. We will not rest until the victims’ family gets the justice they deserve,” said State Attorney Suzy Lopez.
