21-year-old Ukrainian boy adopted by American couple brutally killed his adoptive parents

Florida

A Ukrainian orphaned boy adopted by an American couple seven years back, brutally murdered his own adoptive parents. Dima Tower, 21, was adopted from a prison-like Ukrainian orphanage by Robbie and Jennifer Tower. 

Dima allegedly stabbed his adoptive parents in their home in North Port, Florida on Friday, before he led cops on an eight-hour manhunt that ended with his arrest on Saturday morning.

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The Christian missionary couple, who also worked as real estate agents in the area, were found on their living room floor lying head-to-head surrounded by blood, as per the local news outlet WinkNews. The living room was splattered with blood.

“These were two really good, caring people,” Robbie Tower’s uncle, Warren Rines, told New York Post. “It just makes no sense, none of us understand the hate. They were the only two people in his life who ever tried to help him. They treated him like their own son.”

Why did the 21-year-old kill his ‘caring’ adoptive parents? 

Dima reportedly lost his mother as a child and his alcoholic father abandoned him. He was adopted by the couple seven years back.

After killing the couple, Dima escaped in a car and eventually ran afoot, entering the dense woods. Authorities were able to take him into custody after an eight-hour manhunt. 

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As per Warren, Jennifer and Robbie were both religious and went on Christian missions to Ukraine. The couple was unable to have a child of their own, so they adopted Dima. 

“He would have bruises on him in the orphanage,” Warren said. “When they went out to eat, he would have like six hot dogs. He wasn’t getting a lot to eat. These orphanages are like prison for kids.”

The couple believed that with love and care, Dima would overcome his past trauma. When in Florida, Dima found it difficult to get accustomed to his new surroundings, and would get into fights at school.

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“When I first met him, he was interested in boxing,” Warren said. “But he didn’t want to box. He wanted to hit. He wanted to hurt.”

“I think the boy just had a lot of hate in him already before he came here. And I guess you take it out on the ones closest to you,” he said.

The real reason why Dima killed his adoptive parent is not known yet as he is still under investigation. 

(With inputs from agencies)

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