A Florida man is facing a murder charge after he
admitted fatally stabbing his female roommate
as she was saying goodbye to him, police say.
Brooke Preston, 21, visited the West Palm Beach
home on Friday night to pick up a few items
after moving out.
Randy Herman, 24, allegedly gave her a T-shirt
and one last hug before he began stabbing her
repeatedly.
Ms Preston was planning to move back to
Pennsylvania to be with her boyfriend, local
media report.
Her friends said she was not romantically
involved with her alleged attacker, about whom
she had expressed concerns.
Ms Preston was at the property on the eve of
her death, but had left because her roommate's
behaviour made her uncomfortable, reports
WPTV, a Palm Beach news station.
She returned on Saturday morning to collect her
belongings when the accused attacked her, say
investigators.
Police say the suspect phoned authorities to
report the killing after driving the victim's car to
a nearby park.
During the call he confessed to the crime,
according to police.
"Someone's been murdered," a tearful Mr
Herman told the emergency dispatcher,
according to the Palm Beach Post .
"Just send the police. It was me. I'm sorry."
Police said the suspect was covered in blood
and had a cut on his hand when they arrested
him.
Ms Preston was found inside the house with a
dozen fatal knife wounds to her back, throat and
abdomen, as well as defensive injuries to her left
hand.
She and the suspect had attended the same
Pennsylvania high school before ending up in the
south Florida apartment share.
In February 2015, the suspect's father was
accused of killing his girlfriend in Pennsylvania,
but took his own life before he could be
arrested.