A Southern California man has been arrested in Tennessee in connection with the apparent strangulation death of a man he apparently met online, KTLA sister station WKRN in Nashville reports.
The suspect, 27-year-old Bruno Almeida-Rache, told investigators that he had gone to the Madison home of the victim, 36-year-old Joshua Smithson, around 2:30 a.m. after the two met through a dating app. Almeida-Rache said the two then had sex and did drugs, a Metro Nashville Police Department news release read.
He further told police he fell asleep and when he woke up, Smithson was standing in front of the bed and looking at him, according to authorities.
“He said he then kicked Smithson in the face and put him into a chokehold until he stopped moving,” the release stated.
First responders were dispatched to the home just before 7 a.m. following a call from from Almeida-Rache. They got to the residence where they found Smithson dead with multiple injuries to his face and head.
Almeida-Rache was subsequently arrested on suspicion of criminal homicide, according to police. He is being held without bond in Metro Jail pending a hearing.
No further details were released.