Evelyn Smith Udell, 75, purchased a new washer and dryer, and had it delivered on August 19, 2019 to her home in Boca Raton, Florida.
Two deliverymen brought in the machines and helped her set them up. One of the men left the house, and the other remained inside to give her instructions how to use them.
The other deliveryman heard screams in the house and saw smoke and went back into the house. He saw Udell burned and dead on the floor and called 911. The attacker, identified as Jorge Dupre Lachazo, is a suspect in her murder. He attempted to escape in the delivery van but was apprehended by police.
Police found Lachazo’s fingerprints on a mallet that was used to beat Udell. They retrieved a can of acetone which was used to burn her body. Upon his arrest, police found $203 in his pocket, which was possibly stolen from the victim. Lachazo’s co-worker said that the tips they received that day were less than $203. Udell’s wallet was found open and it seemed likely that the money had been stolen from her.
Lachazo confessed to using both cocaine and marijuana before the delivery and admitted he attacked Udell. His lawyers tried to convince the judge that he did not intend to kill her, saying that in his emotional state, which was influenced by drugs, he lost control during an intended robbery.
In January 2023, three years after the incident, Jorge Dupre Lachazo, 24, was convicted of first-degree murder, burglary, and arson by Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Daliah Weiss. The nonjury trial lasted for three days. Lachazo’s mother and Udell’s son were both present when the decision was read.
Udell’s son was emotional during the court proceedings. He will be given a chance to make a statement to his mother’s killer on April 5, 2023.