TAMPA, Florida – The Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office announced that Angel Gabriel Cuz Choc has been sentenced to death for the brutal killings of his girlfriend and her young daughter.
A judge formally imposed the death sentence on Friday, February 6, 2026, following a jury’s recommendation after Cuz Choc was found guilty in October 2025.
Prosecutors said Cuz Choc attacked and killed his girlfriend, Amalia Coc Choc De Pec, using a shovel and a knife before fatally stabbing her 4-year-old daughter, Estrella, while she was in the bathtub.
“This is not a sentence anyone celebrates,” said State Attorney Suzy Lopez. “This was one of the most horrific crimes we’ve ever seen in Hillsborough County. The case has now come full circle. Nothing can bring Amalia and Estrella back, but we do believe we’ve gotten justice for them and their surviving family members in Guatemala.”
Death Penalty Specialist Scott Harmon and Assistant State Attorney Lindsay Hodges prosecuted the case.
According to court proceedings, Cuz Choc entered the United States in September 2023. Authorities stated he had previously been accused of two murders in Guatemala before coming to the U.S.
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