A routine pizza delivery at a Florida motel turned violent when a delivery driver allegedly stabbed a pregnant customer multiple times over a $2 tip, authorities said.
Brianna Alvelo, 22, has been arrested and is facing several serious allegations, including attempted murder, entering a dwelling with a firearm, kidnapping, and aggravated assault. These charges stem from an incident on December 22, 2024, at the Riviera Motel in Kissimmee, Florida. The victim, Melinda Irizarry, 30, was at the motel with her boyfriend and their five-year-old daughter when they ordered a pizza for $33.10.
Irizarry handed Alvelo $50 for the pizza, anticipating to receive change. When Alvelo started to leave, Irizarry requested her change, but Alvelo informed her that company policy prohibited giving change, as noted in the arrest report.
Irizarry then rummaged through her two purses and her car for smaller bills while Alvelo looked on. She retrieved a smaller bill from her boyfriend, who was staying at the hotel with her and their five-year-old daughter, resulting in a final tip of $2 for Alvelo, as indicated in the report. Alvelo “rolled her eyes and walked away without saying anything,” the arrest report noted.
Not long after, Irizarry, along with her boyfriend and daughter, were asleep when they heard someone knock on the door of the motel room. Alvelo allegedly had returned to the motel room with an unidentified male accomplice who was armed with a gun. Both were dressed in black and wore face masks. The situation escalated when the suspects forced their way into the room. While the male suspect held Irizarry’s boyfriend at gunpoint in the bathroom, Alvelo allegedly attacked Irizarry with a knife. “The woman was stabbed 14 times with a pocket knife as she shielded her five-year-old daughter,” according to the arrest report.
Irizarry sustained stab wounds to her chest, arms, legs, and abdomen, resulting in a ruptured lung that required emergency surgery. The arrest report said that Irizarry had just found out she was a few weeks pregnant. Despite the severity of her injuries, she is currently in stable condition.
Before fleeing the scene, the suspects allegedly ransacked the room. “Alvelo then rummaged through the woman’s purse and broke her daughter’s Nintendo Switch,” investigators reported. The suspects also smashed Irizarry’s phone before leaving.
The pizza shop manager stated that Alvelo had undergone thorough background checks during the hiring process, and nothing had raised any red flags. State attorneys have recommended that Alvelo’s crimes be punishable by life in prison.
An online court record indicated that Alvelo did not have legal representation. Prior to her initial appearance hearing on Thursday, she stated in court documents that she was unable to pay for an attorney and requested that one be appointed for her. She is charged with attempted murder, breaking into a home while armed, kidnapping, and committing aggravated assault with a weapon.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office is calling on anyone with knowledge about the suspects to reach out to Crimeline at (800) 423-8477.
