Darren Pouncey, who allegedly murdered his mother. Booking photo via Martin County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office.
A man suspected of murdering his own mother was allegedly caught with literal blood on his hands.
Darren Keith Pouncey, 34, is accused of killing his mother Christina Ruth Diorio, 58. According to law enforcement, Pouncey had bloodied hands when they took him into custody on Dec. 31, 2022.
“Pouncey’s hands were bleeding and swollen,” a Martin County, Florida, sheriff’s deputy wrote wrote in a field case report after responding to a call to Pouncey’s home at around 8:45 a.m. that day. “I noticed blood droplets on the concert floor of the screen porch. There were blood smears on the vertical blinds and on the door handles I noticed damage to the drywall near the master bedroom light switches where it appeared it was punched. I noticed the bedroom door had a crack on it towards the bottom half.”
According to deputies with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, Diorio sustained blunt impact injuries to her head, torso, and extremities. She also reportedly suffered a brain bleed.
Martin County Sheriff’s Public Information Officer Christine C. Weiss told Law&Crime that Diorio was Pouncey’s mother.
Authorities said a female neighbor was the one to alert law enforcement.
According to the partially redacted arrest affidavit, the neighbor, Wendy McClelland, told investigators that she had received a text message from her neighbor at around 11:15 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 30, 2022.
“I need ur help,” the text message said, according to the affidavit.
McClelland apparently didn’t see the message that night.
“She did not check this message last night,” authorities wrote. “She believed she heard a male’s voice arguing the previous night at the neighbor’s [victim’s] home.”
McClelland woke up Saturday morning and texted the victim, asking if she was fine and urging her to call her back, but she did not get a reply, authorities said. She called her, but there was no answer.
“She went to [redacted] residence, unlocked the master bedroom exterior door, and went inside the bedroom,” the arrest affidavit stated. “Once in the bedroom, she found [redacted] on the floor and observed that the left side of her face was ‘bloody and messed up.’ She touched [redacted] stomach over a blanket that was covering her and realized [redacted] was deceased.”
The female neighbor’s husband got involved, apparently, and spoke with Pouncey, deputies said.
“Pouncey told him, Pouncey wanted a gun,” documents stated. “[The male neighbor] told Pouncey, ‘It’s not worth it.’ He observed that Pouncey had a cut on his right hand and blood on his left hand. He also noted it appeared Pouncey had showered.”
Investigators said they searched another bedroom in which they found Pouncey’s wallet. They also discovered a notebook, they said.
Here’s the alleged statement in the notebook, as written in the arrest affidavit:
soo I gave into the Devil Tonight!! Apparently. I’ve tried to love but is seems love is dead and people just got fucked instead. No rhyme or reason!! I love you but I have become to accustomed to the hell this world is… I belong. I’m sorry
Investigators said they learned that Diorio expressed concern a year ago that Pouncey was going to kill her.
Her defendant son, while handcuffed in the interview room, initially balked at talking to detectives, according to documents. He allegedly appeared unable to speak without his dentures, though he talked with detectives before without the dentures. Investigators said they offered to get him his dentures so he could talk.
“The suspect’s reaction was to raise his hands, close his fist, and extend his middle finger to Sgt. Dulac and I,” authorities said. “At that time, I was able to see the suspect had bloody hands and redness to his hands.”
Pouncey allegedly told investigators he could not remember anything from the previous night. He eventually said that he was out the previous night for dinner and believed he had a drink with his meal, deputies said.
He is charged with murder, dangerous and depraved without premeditation.