A transgender Florida teenager confessed to killing her mother and her mother's 22-year-old boyfriend, a New Jersey native, after weeks of arguing over her transition and her mother's relationship, authorities detail in police paperwork.
The bodies of Matthew Szejnrok, a North Brunswick native, and his 41-year-old girlfriend, Kelly McCollom, were found in McCollom's blood-covered home in Palm Bay, FL on July 7, just after midnight, according to charging documents obtained by Daily Voice.
McCollom's 16-year-old daughter, Julia Egler, initially told police it was an intruder who had killed the pair, however, later confessed to the murders saying she'd reached "a boiling point" with her mother who was not very accepting of her transition, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
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Based on surveillance footage from the home’s exterior cameras, police determined McCollom and Szejnrok arrived home around 10:34 p.m. that night, about two hours before McCollom’s daughter called police to report an alleged intrusion.
According to the charging documents, Julia told police she locked herself in her room after hearing an intruder break into the home through a sliding glass door in the back.
The girl said she heard 5 or 6 gunshots, then found the bodies of her mother and Szejnrok when she eventually left her room, police paperwork says.
After a review of recordings from home surveillance cameras, police determined that no motion had been detected in the backyard until officers arrived, authorities said in their paperwork. Police also said they found alleged bloody footprints matching the pattern of the daughter’s shoes under the glass.
As it turns out, Julia had broken the glass herself to make it seem as though there'd been an intruder, police said. During her admission, Julia told police she waited in the kitchen with her mother's .38 revolver and a chef's knife in her pocket, for her McCollon and Szejnrok to come home, according to police.
When they did she said, "Welcome home," then shot her mother and stabbed Szejnrok, police document say. The teen shot Szejnrok only after he begged her to "put him out of his misery," charging documents say.
Julia also admitted to breaking the back sliding door from the outside to make it appear that someone had broken into the home before tossing the revolver near the outside of her bedroom window, police said.
Julia has been charged with two counts of first-degree premeditated murder, police said.
Szejnrok will be remembered for his loving nature that touched everyone he encountered, according to his obituary on EverLoved .
"His infectious laughter could brighten even the darkest days, and his kind heart knew no bounds," his obituary said. "Whether it was cracking jokes or lending a listening ear to those in need, Matthew had an uncanny ability to make others feel seen and loved."
In addition to being funny and kind-hearted, Szejnrok was known for his goofy antics that never failed to bring smiles to those around him, his obituary said. "His playful spirit was contagious – reminding us all not to take life too seriously but instead embrace each day with lightheartedness," his obit said.
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