Cruel Knife Attack in Fort Lauderdale ‘Keeps Me Awake,' Victim Says

Lorenzo Jones Jr., 26, was arrested in Nathan Benton’s knife attack in Fort Lauderdale, police say

A Fort Lauderdale man tortured another man over the weekend, stabbing him in the back, cutting his hands, striking him in the head with a liquor bottle and forcing him to strip off his clothes before making him get into a bathtub, the victim and police say. 

“That keeps me awake,” the injured man, Nathan Benton, also of Fort Lauderdale, told NBC 6 in an interview Wednesday. “I can’t even sleep right now.”

Lorenzo Jones Jr., 26, remained jailed without bond Wednesday, a day after he was arrested in Benton’s attack, police said. Jones was taken into custody on charges that include attempted felony murder and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, according to a Fort Lauderdale police report.

Benton, who was released from a hospital after he underwent surgery, said Wednesday he still is recovering from his injuries. A motive for the attack wasn’t listed in the arrest report, and Benton declined to discuss additional details.

Benton did say, however, that his attacker was almost a stranger to him. “I have seen that person there before,” Benton said. “But I didn’t really know him.”

The attack happened Saturday, when Benton went to an apartment in the 800 block of Northwest Third Street in Fort Lauderdale to see a friend, police said. 

The friend wasn’t there, but Jones answered the door and invited him inside, police said. Jones told Benton that the friend wasn’t there and that he could stay to wait for the friend, police said.

But when Benton tried to leave the apartment, Jones “became paranoid” and didn’t want him to leave, according to a police report.

Jones grabbed a 12-inch kitchen knife and ordered Benton to sit down, police said. A struggle ensued between the two, police said. Benton’s hands were cut as he tried to shield himself from the knife, police said. Benton fell to the ground and was stabbed twice in the back, police said.

Jones next struck Benton on the back of the head with a vodka bottle and forced him into the bathroom, where he ordered him to strip off his clothes and get into the bathtub, police said.

Benton followed Jones’ commands, fearing for his life, police said.

Each time Benton tried to escape, Jones threatened Benton with a knife, police said. Eventually, Benton did manage to run from the apartment, police said. A neighbor phoned 911, police said.

Jones disappeared after the incident, but police found and arrested him Tuesday, the police report said.

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