Sofia Lugo: Florida man who blamed 'masked men' for teen girlfriend's murder arrested over her death

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

FLORIDA, UNITED STATES: This week, a 21-year-old man from Florida was arrested for the alleged murder of his 17-year-old girlfriend.

Saul Garcia Macias, who disappeared for two weeks after blaming the crime on "masked men" and claiming he was lost in the woods, was taken into custody on Wednesday, December 27.

He now faces charges of one count of homicide - dangerous, depraved murder without premeditation- in connection with the slaying of Sofia Lugo, as reported by Law&Crime.

Police find victim's body

According to a news release from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a report of a suspicious death around 12.55 am on December 10 at a residence in the 1000 block of NW 111th Court in Ocala, Florida, approximately 80 miles northwest of Orlando.

Upon reaching the location, first responders discovered a female, later identified as Sofia Lugo, with what appeared to be a gunshot wound. Unfortunately, she was pronounced dead at the scene.

A probable cause affidavit obtained by Law&Crime reveals that Lugo’s body was found on the floor in her bedroom with a significant amount of blood around the body.

The residence belonged to Garcia Macias’ mother, who informed authorities that she had been unable to locate her son since Lugo’s body was found.

Upon examination, it was determined that Lugo had suffered a penetrating wound to the front left side of her throat beneath her chin, indicative of a close or contact gunshot wound.

While there were no other signs of trauma, deputies observed a freshly done tattoo on her right arm that read 'Saul'.

What did Garcia Marcias' mother say?

During an interview with detectives, Garcia Macias' mother initially claimed that she woke up that evening to a thump sound, thinking it was her cat. Later, when she investigated, she found the victim and used the victim's phone to call 911.

She searched inside and outside for her son but couldn't locate him. She had last seen him a few hours earlier at around 10 pm, when he mentioned that his girlfriend was coming over. However, the mother later confessed to lying in her initial interview.

She revealed that on the night of Lugo’s death, Garcia Macias woke her and her boyfriend, claiming that masked men had entered the residence and killed his girlfriend.

According to her, he said they grabbed his girlfriend and shot her, and upon hearing this, she told the defendant she was calling the police, prompting him to flee the residence.

The mother denied hearing a gunshot or any other disturbance before being awakened by her son. She also told the police that when she went to check on Lugo, her boyfriend overheard her son saying "he had done something to the victim".

Garcia Macias reports to police

Authorities searched for Garcia Macias for 17 days without success. On December 27, he called the sheriff’s office, stating he had heard deputies wanted to speak with him.

He claimed he didn't know why and agreed to be picked up by deputies.

During the interview, Garcia Macias asserted he didn’t know what was happening because he had been “lost in the woods” since the night of the murder.

He said he had just found out that law enforcement wanted to speak with him and had been wandering in the woods until he found a store and used the phone.

He further claimed that he and Lugo were in his room when he went into the bathroom, and that's when the alleged attack occurred. According to him, he heard sounds outside the bathroom like people walking and then heard a gunshot.

He came out of the bathroom to find the victim dead. He claimed he didn't see the unknown person who shot her or hear any voices or arguing before the gunshot.

Garcia Macias stated that since leaving the house, he had not been in contact with anyone because he’d been “wandering lost in the woods".

Police noted that his sneakers and clothes were clean and different from what he was wearing at the time of Lugo's death.

A judge ordered that he be held without bond, specifically noting that his status as an undocumented immigrant made him a flight risk, as reported by Gainesville ABC affiliate WCJB.