U.S. Army Spc. Victor Badilloalvarez and his wife were sleeping in her Kissimmee home when they heard tapping on the window.
Ashley Grullon’s ex-boyfriend and father of their child, Randal Jose Bracetty-Atanacio, was outside the home and wanted to talk.
It was 3 a.m.
She had been ignoring his calls, and he just showed up at the house, according to police.
At first Grullon didn’t want to go outside to talk to him, but she finally gave in after he threatened to vandalize Badilloalvarez’s car, police said.
The two were talking when Badilloalvarez went outside.
She told police that Badilloalvarez was “upset and confronted” Bracetty-Atanacio.
During the confrontation, Grullon was distracted as she was yelling at Samuel Rivera-Rivera, 19, who drove Bracetty-Atanacio to the house.
She then heard yelling and saw her husband doubled over and Bracetty-Atanacio backing away with a knife, according to police.
Bracetty-Atanacio, 18, fled the scene in the vehicle with Rivera-Rivera, police said.
When police arrived at the home in the Eagle Pointe subdivision on North Poinciana Road in the early morning hours of Dec. 27, two other men were standing over Badilloalvarez holding a towel over his abdomen.
Badilloalvarez, 26, told police that “Randal, the baby’s dad” stabbed him.
He was taken to the hospital where he later died, police said.
Police later made contact with Bracetty-Atanacio, who said he stabbed Badilloalvarez in self-defense.
He told police that he went to the house because he wanted to discuss his relationship with Grullon.
Bracetty-Atanacio said Badilloalvarez came outside and lunged at him, so he took out his knife and stabbed him.
He told police he had a knife because he works as a cook. He also told police he threw the knife out the window while driving away. He told investigators he threw out the knife because he was scared.
Rivera-Rivera, who at first denied any involvement, told police he was in his vehicle looking down at his phone when Bracetty-Atanacio came back to the vehicle and said “go, go, go.”
Bracetty-Atanacio was charged with second-degree murder and tampering with evidence while Rivera-Rivera was charged with accessory to murder after the fact.
Both remain at the Osceola County Jail.
According to Army officials, Badilloalvarez, was stationed in Fort Hood in Texas and was visiting his wife in Central Florida. Army officials said his hometown was in Puerto Rico.
He joined the Army in 2012 and was an ammunitions specialist. He served a tour of duty in Afghanistan in 2014, officials said.
Badilloalvarez was assigned to 553rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion in Fort Hood starting in 2013. He had received numerous awards and decorations.
Grullon’s family are in Puerto Rico making funeral arrangements and declined comment.
dharris@tribune.com or 407-420-5471
