Maria Camila Garcia-Molina had sought court protection from Joy Chandra Nath months before authorities say she was killed in southwest Miami-Dade.
MIAMI, FL — A man accused of stalking his former girlfriend before she was found fatally stabbed inside her vehicle has been charged with second-degree murder and child abuse, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.
Maria Camila Garcia-Molina, 24, was found dead April 26, 2025, after deputies began searching for her when her 3-year-old daughter was discovered wandering near a residential complex in southwest Miami-Dade. Authorities said the child appeared to have dried blood on her face and clothing. Investigators later identified Garcia-Molina’s former boyfriend, Joy Chandra Nath, as a suspect and arrested him. The sheriff’s office listed Nath as 29 at the time of his arrest, while an NBC 6 report citing court records described him as 27.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said a deputy was approached shortly before 4 p.m. by a woman who reported that a neighbor had found her 3-year-old granddaughter wandering in a parking lot near Southwest 144th Street and Southwest 134th Avenue. The neighbor recognized the girl and brought her to her grandmother. Deputies went to the child’s home to find her mother but did not locate her there.
During a search of the surrounding area, deputies located Garcia-Molina’s vehicle at the Twin Lakes complex. Authorities said she was found unresponsive inside with apparent stab wounds. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue pronounced her dead at the scene. Investigators said the child was not physically injured.
Garcia-Molina’s relatives told investigators that Nath had previously stalked her. Court records obtained by local news organizations showed Garcia-Molina had filed a petition for protection against stalking months before her death. In the petition, she accused Nath of repeatedly appearing near her home and workplace after their relationship ended. She also alleged that she discovered an Apple AirTag attached to her vehicle after Nath told her he had left something on the car.
The temporary injunction was later dismissed after Garcia-Molina did not appear at a February hearing to seek a permanent order, according to NBC 6. Court records cited by CBS News Miami showed Garcia-Molina had expressed concern that Nath’s alleged behavior could escalate into violence. Family members also told investigators that Nath confronted Garcia-Molina and her then-boyfriend at Dolphin Mall the night before her death.
Investigators said Nath returned to the Twin Lakes neighborhood shortly after midnight while deputies were still processing the scene. According to the arrest report, deputies noticed scratches and bruising on his face, neck and arms. Authorities said Nath told them he had Garcia-Molina’s belongings and intended to return them to her.
Detectives later found Garcia-Molina’s purse, cellphone and identification in Nath’s vehicle, according to investigators. Authorities said Nath acknowledged spending time with Garcia-Molina and her daughter earlier that day but said they later separated. Investigators said cellphone information showed Garcia-Molina’s phone traveled from her residence to Nath’s residence and then back toward the area where her body was found.
Nath appeared before Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer on April 28, 2025. The judge found probable cause on the second-degree murder charge and ordered him held without bond on that count. A $5,000 bond was set on the separate child abuse charge. Publicly available reporting reviewed for this article did not establish that Nath had been convicted of either charge, and the accusations remain allegations unless proven in court.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said its homicide investigation remained ongoing after Nath’s arrest. No later publicly reported disposition of the murder case was located in the sources reviewed for this update.
Author note: Last updated September 16, 2026.