Florida man accused of killing 13-year-old girl remains silent during first appearance

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - The man accused of killing a teenage girl in Orange County on the Fourth of July holiday made his first court appearance before a judge on Monday. 

During the hearing, Jerry Dorisme did not speak when the judge asked for his name and remained silent throughout the court appearance as his public defender spoke on his behalf.

The 28-year-old murder suspect is facing a charge of first-degree felony murder in the death of 13-year-old Rose Dieujuste – a child he did not know, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office. 

Rose was found dead at the Palmetto Lakeside apartments on South Rio Grande Avenue with "obvious signs of trauma," authorities said. 

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FOX 35 News spoke to her cousin, Dieuriper Colin, who said he thought she was at her friend's apartment, who also lives within the complex. That friend told him she found Rose's phone and shoes, but Rose never made it to her home. 

Colin and Rose's brother started looking for her and found her in a utility closet stabbed and partially naked. 

Jerry Dorisme (left) is accused of killing 13-year-old Rose Dieujuste in Orange County | Credit: Orange County Sheriff's Office

Detectives caught Dorisme on surveillance camera near the apartment complex and he was arrested a few days later. His arrest report shows that Dorisme was on video buying the kitchen knife used in the crime just minutes before the murder. 

MORE: Who is Jerry Dorisme? Man accused of murdering Orange County teen, leaving her in utility closet

During Monday's court hearing, the judge said she was going to hold Dorisme in jail and set a pretrial detention hearing for July 19 at 8:30 a.m. 

He was ordered to have no contact with any of the victim's family members or any witnesses in the case. He is banned from having possession of weapons, firearms or ammunition and cannot return to the scene where deputies said the crime was committed. 

Dorisme also faces three counts of battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer without violence. 

In that case, the judge assigned him a public defender and a bond was set at $20,000.