Suspect charged years after Miami-Dade man’s body found wrapped in blanket with stab wounds

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — A suspect has been criminally charged, years after a man was found stabbed to death in northeast Miami-Dade, with his body wrapped in a blanket, authorities announced Thursday.

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Deputies said Itiaba Ekong, 36, is charged with first-degree felony murder, burglary with an assault and/or battery and grand theft.

According to authorities, MDSO deputies with the Intracoastal District responded to the area of Northeast 199th Street and 10th Avenue at about 10:20 p.m. on Feb. 4, 2021, to conduct a welfare check and found an unresponsive man wrapped in a blanket.

The man, identified as Lenoris Henry Marlowe, 45, had stab wounds on his body and was pronounced dead at the scene by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue medics, authorities said.

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“For over five years, detectives worked tirelessly to uncover what happened and bring justice to the victim’s friends and family,” MDSO officials said in a news release. “Through investigative means, detectives identified the subject as Mr. Itiaba Ekong. Mr. Ekong admitted to detectives that he stabbed the victim.”

Court records show Ekong is already serving a life sentence for another case in which he was convicted of armed robbery.

Records show he has a lengthy criminal history involving convictions for crimes such as burglary, grand theft, simple battery, armed robbery and trafficking in stolen property.

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A motive for the 2021 stabbing has not been confirmed by detectives.