Florida Man Hunted Ex With Sledgehammer, Police Say

A young man walked through a quiet Florida neighborhood late one night — hoodie pulled up, gloves in his pocket, and a ski mask on his head. The temperature outside was a balmy 76 degrees Fahrenheit. Still, he told the deputy he was bundled up because the weather "gets kind of cold out," according to PEOPLE. But it wasn't the weather that made this patrol stop unforgettable — it was what came next.

A Strange Encounter in the Shadows

Just before midnight in Deltona, Florida, a Volusia County Sheriff's deputy spotted 20-year-old Jalen Vallejos walking through a residential area, his face partially obscured. After what the department described as a "consensual encounter," according to PEOPLE, things took a darker turn.

Vallejos was reportedly dressed in multiple layers — hoodie, jeans, a ski mask rolled up like a beanie — and his clothes were covered in brush and weeds, suggesting he had just come from an off-trail area. When questioned, he allegedly admitted he was on his way to his ex-girlfriend's house to watch her sleep.

Not for the first time, either.

According to the deputy's report, Vallejos claimed to have been sneaking around his ex's home for the past six to eight months.

Inside the Backpack: A Chilling Discovery

The deputy initially detained Vallejos after discovering a lock-picking tool — a concerning find amid a spike in local car thefts. But what followed painted a far more disturbing picture.

Vallejos allegedly confessed to a plan that included sneaking into his ex's backyard, watching her sleep, and then retrieving a backpack from his car that contained duct tape, wire cutters, a ski mask, gloves, spray paint, and a sledgehammer.

When asked what the sledgehammer was for, Vallejos allegedly said he intended to break down the front door and "defend himself" if confronted by his ex's father, according to PEOPLE.

According to the criminal complaint, he stated that he "didn't know" whether he would harm his ex — before ultimately saying, "Yeah, eventually," when asked if he planned to hurt or kill her, according to PEOPLE.

Months of Fear and 1 Night of Intervention

Vallejos' ex and her father told deputies they had ended the two-year relationship six months earlier and that they had been living in fear. Vallejos reportedly admitted to vandalizing the family's home in April using black spray paint — an incident that now appears to have been a part of a much larger pattern of behavior.

Authorities charged Vallejos with several felonies, including aggravated stalking, attempted armed burglary, loitering, possession of burglary tools, and criminal mischief. He is currently being held without bond at Volusia County Branch Jail.

Ongoing Investigation

No convictions have been made, and the case is under active investigation, and authorities have not released details on a potential court date.

Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood praised the alert deputy who made the stop. "That's got all the signs to me that somebody's getting killed," he said at a press conference, according to PEOPLE.

If You Need Help

If you or someone you know is experiencing stalking, harassment, or threats of violence, help is available. Contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit www.thehotline.org. You can also reach the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or the Stalking Resource Center through the National Center for Victims of Crime.

References: For 6 Months, He Allegedly Watched His Ex Sleep — with a Sledgehammer Nearby and a Chilling Plan in Mind, Say Police | Video: Deputy Arrests Armed Stalking Suspect Headed to Watch Ex Sleep | Man in Ski Mask Arrested While on His Way to Watch Ex-Girlfriend Sleep: Cops