Father accused of killing son in Kendall to appear in Miami-Dade court

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – This holiday season turned into a time of grief for the family and friends of Eric Contreras in Miami-Dade County.

The Florida International University student and a graduate of Christopher Columbus High School was planning to celebrate his 23rd birthday just a few days before Christmas.

Detectives said his 52-year-old father killed the 22-year-old member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity before the family could celebrate Thanksgiving Day.

David De Jesus Contreras was set to appear in court for his arraignment hearing before Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Daryl Trawick at 9 a.m., on Monday at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building in Allapattah.

The father called 911 on Nov. 6., and when, police officers arrived at his home, at 10703 SW 84 Ave., in a quiet Kendall neighborhood near Pinecrest, he confessed to the fatal shooting, police said.

Police officers arrested him and took him to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a second-degree murder charge. Detective Andre Martin, a spokesman for the Miami-Dade Police Department, described the murder as a domestic violence incident.

David Contrera’s next hearing was set for 10:30 a.m., on Dec. 22. His defense will be asking Trawick to consider releasing him on bond even though he is accused of a capital felony.