by Naja Girard

The Blue Paper has now obtained a photo and the name of the man accused of cutting open the belly of one homeless man and stabbing another in the head at Mallory Square last Saturday.

The man, named Pavel Martinez Ruiz, 43, nicknamed “Carlito,” is still at large.

We spoke with victim, Carroll B. Jordan, 53, by phone. Jordan is still being treated at Ryder Trauma Center and said he felt too tired to speak at this time.

“Jeep”, Jordan’s close friend, was able speak with Jordan yesterday. Jeep states Jordan is fighting a bacterial infection.

Jordan told Jeep the 4-inch laceration had caused Jordan’s intestines to literally fall onto the pavement. In fact, Jordan was found lying on the ground holding his intestines in his hands, trying to shove them back inside his body, when police arrived on scene Saturday evening.

The other stabbing victim, Terry Edward Backus, 47, was stabbed in the back of the head and on his left upper arm area.

The three men and one eyewitness told police they were coming to the aid of a third man, Kenneth Duane Fleming, 51, when the stabbings occurred.  All four say Ruiz had “sucker-punched” Fleming and was about to hit him again.  The punch caused Fleming to fall to the ground. Fleming suffered a large bruise on his head.

In her Sunday morning press release KWPD spokesperson Alyson Crean described all three victims, as well as the suspect as “homeless”. The attack took place in the City’s “panhandling zone”, an area in the parking lot at Mallory Square situated near a large dumpster.  City code prohibits begging in areas outside designated “panhandling zones.”

The police report also states that during the Saturday evening investigation at Mallory Square, KWPD was in possession of a photo of the suspect referred to only by the nickname, “Carlito” in the report.

KWPD is asking for the help of media and the public however, for an unknown reason, KWPD has not provided the photo or the name of the suspect directly to the media.  However, the photo was posted, today, on KWPD’s Facebook page along with the suspects legal name.

A warrant for the arrest of Ruiz for aggravated battery in the stabbing of the two men at Mallory Square has been issued.

Ruiz is described in today’s KWPD Facebook post as a Hispanic male about 5’8″ tall with a thin build.  [Note: Officer Kyles Murphy described Ruiz, in his report, as a black, Cuban male with a very muscular build.]

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See related: Police Found Man Stabbed in Abdomen, Holding His Intestines. Suspect Still at Large

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Anyone with any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-866-471-8477. Tipsters can remain anonymous and if a tip leads to an arrest in the case, the caller may be eligible for a cash reward. Tips may also be submitted online at www.floridakeyscrimestoppers.com

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