Who Is Stefano Cremasco-Cicero? Manager of High-End Miami Steakhouse Found Soaked in Blood in His Apartment after Stabbing Mom to Death

The manager of a high-end Miami steakhouse was arrested in connection with his mother’s murder after police found him covered in blood inside his luxury high-rise apartment Friday morning. His mother was found dead inside the home with multiple stab wounds.

Stefano Cremasco-Cicero, 36, told police he acted in self-defense when he allegedly stabbed his mother to death inside his 47th-floor Miami apartment, the Miami Herald reported. Police were called to the apartment building in Miami’s Brickell neighborhood shortly before 5 a.m. on Friday over an “unknown request.” When law enforcement arrived, they found the restaurant manager with blood covering his clothes, hands and shoes, according to his arrest affidavit.

Like a Devil

Cremasco-Cicero reportedly told officers, “I was defending myself,” before taking them to his 47th-floor apartment. Inside, police found his mother, who has not been publicly identified, lying on her side with multiple stab wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

After obtaining a search warrant, police also found several bloodied kitchen knives, a shattered glass, a broken wine bottle and two white shirts stained with blood.

Cremasco-Cicero’s mother had been staying with him while visiting from Mexico, his wife, who hasn’t been identified, told police over the phone.

His wife was in France at the time of the killing and told officers that Cremasco-Cicero had not been close to his mother since his parents divorced, according to the Herald.

She also told police she did not believe her husband had any mental health issues, but said he had been under considerable stress while working to open a new restaurant in Coconut Grove.

Cremasco-Cicero was born in Mexico and is of Argentine descent. He works as the U.S. operating manager for the upscale 1986 Steak House in Miami, according to the publication.

Surveillance footage and building key-fob records show that Cremasco-Cicero and his mother returned to the high-rise around 10:30 p.m. the night before the fatal stabbing.

Then, around 4:25 a.m., Cremasco-Cicero was seen getting into an elevator carrying a knife. He was covered in blood and wearing a white T-shirt, khaki pants and white shoes.

Motive Still Unclear

Surveillance footage showed Cremasco-Cicero dropping the knife after stepping out of the elevator. He then picked it back up and boarded another elevator to return upstairs, according to the video.

He was later seen coming back to the elevator wearing a different blue long-sleeved shirt before leaving the building while talking on his phone. Shortly before 4:40 a.m., he returned to the lobby and sat on a couch, still wearing the same bloodied white shoes.

The food delivery driver told police that Cremasco-Cicero opened the lobby door for her and asked her to call 911. He later called police himself and handed his phone to the driver so she could speak with the dispatcher, the Herald reported.

While speaking with 911, the courier noticed blood on Cremasco-Cicero. When she tried to return the phone to him, he refused to take it back.

Cremasco-Cicero was arrested and charged with second-degree murder with a weapon. He was taken to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center and placed on an immigration hold because he was in the U.S. on an investor visa, according to police.

Cremasco-Cicero appeared before a Miami-Dade County judge Saturday morning wearing a green anti-suicide smock. The judge denied him bond, Local10 News reported.

He is due back in court on Tuesday morning.