MDPD: Coral Gables Hospital CEO killed in murder-suicide

MIAMI – The Chief Executive Officer of Coral Gables Hospital has been killed in a murder-suicide, Miami-Dade police said.

Police said Maria Cristina Jimenez was shot and killed just before noon on Wednesday by her 62-year-old husband Antonio Mazzorana who then took his own life. The call came in at 11:45 am about the shooting that happened at their home in the Schenley Park neighborhood near  S.W. 57 Ave. and 34 Street.

CBS4’s Peter D’Oench spoke with Mazzarona’s younger brother, Ivan.

He said, “I was very surprised. I could not believe what I was hearing but my mind took me to a place that is sad beyond all comprehension. My brother was a hard-working person. He was very busy and very successful. His wife was also a very successful person. It really comes as a shock.”

“This comes as a surprise,” he said. “I did not see my brother being depressed. I know he had some issues with his job, the contract he was working on coming to an end but he did not have any financial problems.”

Cristina Jimenez had worked at Coral Gables Hospital for more than 35 years and became its CEO in 2017. When she was promoted, the South Florida Business Journal said that when she was COO at the hospital, she helped the hospital earn the Joint Commission’s gold seal of approval for both total hip and total knee replacements.

Ivan Mazzarona said, “Cristina was a lovely soul. She was friendly to everyone she met and was very knowledgeable and respected by her peers. I just did not see any issues with them. It is very difficult. Another family is hurting.”

CBS4 also reached to members of Jimenez’s family but they did not want to say anything right now.

Mazzarona said his brother also worked in the healthcare profession.