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Suspect arrested in deadly stabbing of 26-year-old woman in Winter Haven, police say

Kenneth Foresyth Jr., 21, was taken into custody Tuesday.

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Detectives arrested a man for the deadly stabbing of 26-year-old Angel Snell in July, according to the Winter Haven Police Department.

Kenneth Foresyth Jr., 21, was taken into custody on Tuesday, Aug. 13, "following a dedicated and diligent search," the department said in a news release. He is facing charges of second-degree murder, a false report to a law enforcement officer and destroying/tampering with evidence, the department said.

Police said the stabbing happened near a shipping container at a construction site on July 26. Snell reportedly approached Foresyth before the two got into a fight, detectives said. Investigators added that paperwork and items belonging to Foresyth were found inside the container.

Foresyth, who is homeless, worked at a Longhorn Steakhouse on First Street in Winter Haven, police said. Detectives arrived at the restaurant two days after the stabbing and learned from his manager that Foresyth was working there at the time of the murder.

In an earlier interview with 10 Tampa Bay, Snell's mother and grandmother remembered the woman as a compassionate woman who'd give strangers the clothes off her back. While she, too, experienced homelessness, she had plans to return to school and regain custody of her 5-year-old daughter.

Credit: 10 Tampa Bay
Angel Snell, 26, was stabbed to death in July in Winter Haven. She was described as a compassionate woman who'd help strangers.

Through viewing surveillance video taken on July 26, detectives witnessed a man matching Foresyth's description walking near the crime scene. Another video showed the man running away just minutes before the 911 call reported the stabbing.

On Aug. 13, police interviewed Foresyth, and he admitted the person in the surveillance footage was him, officers said. 

As the interview continued, officers learned that Foresyth had been inside the shipping container at the time of the murder. He reportedly started a small fire outside before Snell approached him and the fight occurred.

Foresyth allegedly stabbed Snell multiple times before running away, police said.

In the release, Winter Haven Police Chief David Brannan stated detectives worked "tirelessly around the clock" to arrest Foresyth.

"The relentless determination and dedication to find the killer of Miss. Snell is a testament to the heart of our detectives and all the members of the Winter Haven Police Department," Brannan stated.

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