The year is 2021. It's Christmas Eve. For many, it's a festive night meant for peace on Earth and goodwill toward men. But inside a home in Spring Hill, Florida, it's anything but. 18-year-old Ariana Tarsinski and her boyfriend, 20-year-old Raone Calderon Durst, are watching TV in her bedroom with the door open when suddenly screams tear through the house. They're the bone chilling kind that carries for blocks. According to Ariana's father, Eddie, that's when he saw Ramon walk a wounded Ariana into the master bedroom, repeatedly saying, "I effed up." Horrified by what he saw, Eddie frantically dials 911. >> Oh my god. >> Listen to me. What happened? >> I don't know what happened. >> Okay. Listen to me, sir. If someone hurt, you need to tell me yes or no. IF SOMEONE HURT. >> MY DAUGHTER is hurt. My daughter's neck is hurt. I >> What happened? I'm dead. >> Got a knife, dude. >> The knife. >> Come on. I cannot understand what's going on. >> First responders arrived to find Ariana suffering from a severe neck wound. She was transported for emergency treatment, but later died, and the medical examiner ultimately classified the manner of death as homicide. When detectives began reconstructing what happened, they had statements from those inside [music] the home and a knife recovered at the scene. But here's where this case takes a turn. Over four years later, no criminal charges have ever been filed in connection with Ariana's death. [music] by all accounts. 2021 was Ariana Tarsinsk's breakout year. She had just graduated with honors, completed ROC, obtained her driver's license, and was planning for college. Her loved ones said she was the quiet, thoughtful type, someone who genuinely enjoyed helping [music] others. Like the time she made artwork for a multiple sclerosis fundraiser in honor of her aunt. Ariana had been dating Ramon Calderon Durst [music] for about 9 months. He had relocated from New Jersey to Ocala. Ramon was described by her parents as a nice kid and joined the family as they exchanged gifts on Christmas Eve. It was arranged that he would sleep on the couch after a movie. As the house settled, Ariana's father, Eddie, wrapped [music] up a task in the garage. He then went to bed just before midnight, and that's when he says he heard Ramon [music] shout out his name. In an interview with Tom Lemons of our News, the Tarskis provide their perspective on the chaotic aftermath and how deputies with the Hernando [music] County Sheriff's Office handled the scene. >> Was in my uh bedroom. I hear Eddie like screaming. Eddie, Eddie, uh help. as I up and uh he's got my daughter by the neck like this and she got blood coming out of her mouth and like what the hell did you do? What the what the hell going on? Then woke up my wife and she grabbed her neck and um I'm pushing him out of the house. Um we're going back and forth. The exact words were he's like kill me [ __ ] I'm going to go to jail for the rest of my life anyway. My neighbor hears him say just kill me. I up I did this, you know, I'm going to jail for the rest of my life. And as Thomas comes around to the side, he just had these eyes. He was on drugs or something. He he was on something. Uh he started going towards Thomas. So Thomas, you know, hit him naturally because as I was back here and then going back out to the front to see if there's police and ambulance, he was sitting on the edge of the bed trying to cut his own throat. Um going like this officers probably 10 deep. Um one of them with the AR and he's like, "Get on the ground now. I'm not going to tell you again." I'm like, "No, no, you don't understand. I'm hysterical that my daughter, she's bleeding out. She needs help, man." Like he's like, "Get on the ground now. I'm not going to tell you again." So when I was in the car, they uh got Judy who was holding my daughter's neck. Um they grabbed her off of Ariana, our daughter. Um nobody was nobody jumped down to render the aid to my daughter. So her drug man is cut, you know, you put pressure and I mean even a second is is everything. A little while later, my wife come they bring my wife out. My wife tries going back in to you know cuz she's saying my baby my baby. Cop picks her up, slams on the ground. Bam. You know I'm like now I'm screaming. I'm like what the you know. Deputies quickly separated everyone as they tried to sort out what the heck just happened. As Eddie explained, he was aggressively ordered to the ground at gunpoint and cuffed. Judy was put in a patrol car where she would remain for hours waiting for news about her daughter. Ariana's 12-year-old sister was also separated and questioned. An article by saf.org or cites the lead investigators report in which the child allegedly told deputies she saw Ramon carrying Ariana by her hair. The same report alleges that for an unknown reason, Ramon Calderon Durst slit Ariana Tarsinsk's throat while in Ariana's bedroom and then took her into Edward and Judy Tarsinsk's master bedroom by her hair and stated to Edward and Judy, "I did this." As all of this unfolded, Judy remained in the patrol car with no clear understanding of what had happened or whether Ariana would survive. Dash cam footage captures that moment. A mother in real time overwhelmed and searching for answers. Please God, please God, I'm so sorry. Please God, please God, save my Ariana. Please save my area. Oh, please God, please save [laughter] my I am not a bad person. [laughter] I need my babies. What's going on with my old daughter? Please, please tell me. Please. >> I need to know what's going on with her. Please, can you tell me, please? >> You need to know what's going on with her. >> What? >> You said you had a question. What do you need to know? >> What's going on? Wait, hold on. >> I told you she's at the hospital. She had a blood transfusion and she was stable and that was almost >> I need to be with her. Please. Why am I in here? >> I told you multiple times. I'm not going to keep going over this with you. As soon as they're done asking questions, you're going to be >> Okay, they're not asking questions, though. >> Nobody's asked me anything. >> Keep coming here and asking me questions. >> When when one guy came to me, please don't please do not shut the door. >> Then you need to calm down. >> One person came. It's my daughter. Please understand if it was a corner. >> Please understand. I have to go to the bathroom. I'm going to piss on myself. >> Unfortunately, I was told it is what it is. I'm not allowed to let you back in the house. >> I sat in front of the house for 6 hours. There came a point where I told them I had to use the restroom and I kept banging on the window because they weren't paying attention to me. They told me, a gentleman officer said, "If you don't stop, we're going to put you in handcuffs. Deal with it." I ended up using the bathroom in the car. >> Yeah. >> The 12-year-old was ultimately placed with family members [music] while her parents were taken to the sheriff's office, processed for evidence, and questioned by detectives. They were eventually released without charges. According to the police report, Ariana was transported for [music] emergency medical treatment. As for Ramon, he made several spontaneous statements while seated in the back of a patrol car. >> Oh my god. >> Am I going to get EMS? >> Yeah, they they went to the house first. >> I understand. >> What's your name? >> You from Spring Hill? >> Huh? Okao. >> Okalo. How old are you? >> How are you? >> Can I just say something? Can we Can we have a little back and forth real quick? >> Let's have back and forth. Go ahead. >> My life's over right now. >> What do you mean? >> You know what I mean? You see what's the situation? >> I don't know what the situation is. I've been outside with you. >> Okay. What do you think the situation is? >> I don't know. I don't want to assume. You see what I'm covered in? >> Okay. What happened? I don't know. I can't I'm not going to say so cuz I know. >> Well, I see you the day that they're fighting me, so I don't know. >> Look, all right. You don't know. But I know >> the situation is like my life's over. I'm 20 years old. I I love that. >> I love it. [ __ ] Just [ __ ] Christmas. >> All right. I [ __ ] >> I couldn't hear you. >> I [ __ ] slept on that wet bed >> all over. >> You slept in the bed. >> I slip on the bed. I slip I slip on the bed. Look, we got a whole rag. We got a whole rack. She's dead. How do you feel right now? >> Huh? >> How do you feel right now? >> What do you mean how do I feel right now? >> Just in general. [clears throat] >> A little confused. >> I know you just want information with me right now. >> Huh? >> I know you just want information. So, >> you have people that want to get information from me. >> Yes, I understand that. That's why I don't like I'd rather just talk to them. >> Okay, then you can do that. >> But I just rather talk to you right now. >> Sound like you just want to talk to somebody right now. >> Yes. >> I got I'm listening. >> Can we do that? >> Yeah, that's fine. >> I want to cry. >> Huh? >> I want to cry. >> Go ahead. Cry. No one will have mercy for me. >> And I don't blame them. I wouldn't have mercy for me either. Do you hold contempt for prisoners, criminals? Malice, hatred, spite. You hate criminals. >> No. Hope I find her again. >> You know what I mean by that, >> sir? >> Do you know what I mean by that? >> About what? I said, "I hope I find her again." >> Okay. >> What do you think that means? >> Mhm. interview room while detectives continued their initial investigation. At the same time, back at the house, investigators processed the scene. They recovered a 4 and 1/2 in folding knife with visible blood and reviewed text messages [music] from both Ariana's and Ramon's phones, which, according to police records, reflected what was described as an up and down relationship, including arguments that night. Inside Ariana's bedroom, deputies found a notebook containing a drawing made approximately 15 months earlier. The sketch depicted a female figure with a throat wound and blood coming from the neck area. Edward stated the police officers were saying that it was self-inflicted, but he explained she was an artist who enjoyed horror films and was known to make graphic illustrations. He emphasized she was not suicidal. Inside the interview room, Ramon sat with his head down as detectives worked through what they had. Given everything we've just laid out, you might expect a formal interrogation, maybe even an arrest. Instead, what happened next would leave Ariana's family and many who followed the case stunned. >> All right. Took the handcuffs off you. All right. Listen, we're going to get you out of here. Um, we looked into the case a little bit further and we're not charging you with anything. >> We're not going to charge you anything right now. Okay? We're going to look into it a little further. make sure some things are really supposed to be. So, you're going to get out of here, but I have a I have uh I want to ask you something. Is it Is it okay if we take pictures of what happened with you? Um since we don't know, if you happen to be a victim of something, we'd like to have evidence of that, too. So, if you don't mind, would be be able to take pictures of you >> of your injuries and stuff that you got hurt? >> Do you know anything? Yes. So, do you know anything about her? >> As far as I know, she's still in surgery. They're still working on her. >> Do you know what time it is? >> 7:30. Actually, 7:35. And I know it seems scary that she's in surgery for a long time, but it's they take their time to make sure everything's the right way. So, sometimes things take quite a long time. So, she's still okay. She's still in surgery, and we don't know anything more than that. Um, so if you're okay, what we what we'd like to do is you're pretty bloody, your clothes are pretty bloody, we'd like to grab those two and we can give you something to wear. We'll take pictures of you and if you don't mind, we'll get a buckle swab from you, which is like a DNA sample. It's no big deal because you're together with her. You're in the same house. >> So, we really don't like >> Yeah. But it's just procedures we like to follow. So, if you're okay with that, we'll do that. And then when we're done, uh, we'll get you get you out of here. Is that is that okay for you? You're okay with that? >> Yeah. What does this mean? >> Right. Right now, you're just they're not being charged. >> Do you know why? >> We just we you know, like you think we want to screw you, but that's not the case. We want to make sure we do everything right. So, if there's something that you need to be held responsible for, you will be. But if there's not, you won't be. So instead of rushing into something and and and and you know doing all this stuff, we decided to back up and and take our time a little bit and look into it a little bit further. Um because there's always things maybe we don't know about. Okay. So uh you know that's what we're going to do. And so I'm I'm glad you're it took that stuff off you and you've been sitting in here. Okay. So I'll go out and there's a forensic detect who's going to come in here and help do all this stuff. So if you just give me a minute. I got to go find her, get our stuff together, and I'll come back in. Okay. >> Okay. What if they want to Sorry. What if they want to like >> charge me? I'm not at work. I'm something I'm doing. >> If they charge you later, they're going to charge you. It's not I'm not really the lead on this case. I'm assisting the detective. Um, but you know, as long as you you I mean, if you're cooperative with us and you keep in touch with us, I mean, we have no reason to come jack you up at your business or wherever you're working at. I mean, if something has to happen, you can run all you want. We'll come get you wherever you are. You know what I mean? It's not >> You're a young kid. I mean, there's If you run away, it doesn't make no sense. >> If something's going to happen, running isn't going to solve the problem. >> After forensic processing, deputies drove Ramon back to the Tarsinski home, where he retrieved his keys and left. Ariana's parents thought this was essentially a courtesy shuttle and showed no urgency. They believed the sheriff's office could have done more to press for a formal recorded statement before the only other person in the bedroom was released. For Ariana's family, those early hours were critical. They argued that without a full interview, while events were still fresh, key details may have been lost before they could be formally documented. An ABC IT team review of the 373page case file confirms no recorded interview exists. Detectives noted Ramon indicated right away he did not want to incriminate himself. He was not advised of his Miranda rights and no custodial interrogation was conducted. His attorney later communicated that on the advice of councel no statement would be provided. No one was immediately charged in connection with Ariana's death and the family was told the investigation was ongoing and would take time. The case was later assigned to a detective and in the Tom Lemons interview, the Tarsinskis described how the investigation unfolded thereafter. Craft is when he introduced himself cuz he took over the case the first time that he calls he says, "Uh, hey Eddie, I'm Detective Craft. I say, how you doing?" He goes, "I'm just going to see how your daughter's going." And I'm thinking to myself, "My daughter's gone, man." Like he's like I said, she's dead. Like he's like oh, I I mean he didn't know what to say. So that actually the conversation went there. That was it. Um and then we tried calling again um because we wanted to know what was going on because we never got phone calls from any of them. Never texted us. They never called us. We always had sit down. We always had it. Yeah. We always had to call them. They never kept in contact with us. But when you did want to keep in contact with them, it was always like you were bothering them. The second call I had with Craft was 2 weeks after that because I want to tell him about the the knife cut that was trying to cut his own throat and I didn't want him think it was my daughter saying the whole time he's saying well if two things he was either self-inflicted or I'm sorry I wasn't at the scene. Those were his two favorite words. You know what I mean? That's all you got from him. You never got anything more than anything less. We finally got a time we had to sit down, but he called a couple days before. He had CO. So, a couple a month or so went on up to that. Then we tried to get another time and then he had CO again. Um, and the whole time, you know, it's you if you texted them or called him, it wouldn't be till days they got back to you. >> You really didn't have any very many conversations with Detective Craft. >> He didn't even bring us in for Right. He didn't even He didn't No one's even brought us in for questioning. Like uh like >> you didn't do a walk through through your house. >> I've asked not I've asked for when he was here that day I said hey while you're here let me show you about like where we were sitting like he's nope I had everything I need. He told us that's it. He doesn't we he no contact anymore. Um he doesn't have to we don't have to call him. Call Mcrino if you want to call him. But then you call McGro and then he'd be like you got to call Craft on that. It was it was a bouncing game back and forth. You know what I mean? Nearly 4 months later in April 2022, Ariana's death certificate was finalized. According to the District 6 medical examiner, the autopsy showed the fatal stab wound was 1 and 1/2 cm long [music] on the left side of Ariana's neck. She also had two cuts on the right side of the back of her head and two faint bruises on her left forearm. [music] The ME determined her cause of death to be complications of a stab wound to the neck. The manner of death was classified as homicide. under the section labeled how injury occurred. The report [music] states stabbed by others. With this information, the Tarsinskis were hopeful that an arrest was imminent. >> We got a call from the funeral home saying that they had the death certificate. We were excited about that cuz we that's what we were waiting for cuz that's when he said, "Well, we'll see what the death certificate says. That will tell all, you know, and that's when we know when we go pick him up." So, we're thinking if it says homicide, that's a mur that's murder. So, they're going to go get him. We went there and and I even we even called Craw from the funeral home and said, "Hey, you guys going to go pick him up and says, "Did you see the death certificate?" He's like, "Yeah, I saw it." And he goes, "Uh, well, we got other things going on here." Um, just made an excuse. I'm like, "Yeah, but you guys just told us that you're going to go for the third time. You're going to go pick him up if it was like, you got to see what this says, what that says, what this says." And it was never, it was broken promises the whole time. Uh, you're kind of helpless. Um, you know, he's he gave the case away already. Um we he doesn't have half the stuff. Um his side is closed and now McGrino is just uh he kicked us out of the office and and they've done nothing for us. They've given us no answers, no nothing. We couldn't even be with our daughter in in the time that we she in need. You know what I mean? She's by herself the whole time. She's by herself in the back bedroom till the medics get there. What do you want some? How do you want me to act? You know what I mean? How how would you act? You know what I mean? >> For more than a year, the Tarskis waited for answers. During that time, [music] the Hernando County Sheriff's Office said the case remained an active investigation with detectives and the medical examiner continuing [music] to work to determine exactly what happened. Officials also noted that details are often withheld, even from family members, until an investigation is complete. 19 months after her death, on what would have been Ariana's 20th birthday, the family held a public lantern release in her memory. They later spoke with local [music] media, expressing frustration over how long they felt the case was taking. >> Ariana Tarinsky would have celebrated her 20th birthday Friday, but instead her family says they feel helpless. They release lanterns to keep their daughter's memory alive. >> Every year we are going to do something for her cuz she deserves that. >> Ariana's parents describe their daughter as loving, creative, and just a good kid. Her parents say on Christmas Eve 2021 around midnight, Ariana was in her room with her boyfriend when she ended up with a fatal knife wound to the neck. >> You're prolonging the pain like this. You know, that's why >> she can't be she can't be >> she can't be at peace. She's not at peace because of this whole thing. I mean, it's just >> we're not at peace. >> Ariana's death certificate lists manner of death as homicide. Cause of death, complications of stab wound of the neck. But her parents say no one has been held accountable for her death. No one has been arrested. >> I want justice for her. Yeah, absolutely. Because she deserves I mean and you don't get any answers. That's all we want is answers. >> The Hernando County Sheriff's Office says its agency conducted a death investigation collecting evidence, witness interviews, photos, and written reports. The case has been turned over to the state attorney's office for review. >> It's just destroyed me. I don't feel I just don't feel myself at all. At all. I'm broken. I'm broken. A little less than a month after that interview aired, the Tarsenskis finally received a decision from the state attorney's office. It would leave them devastated. In a letter dated August 2023, the state attorney's office said it had reviewed the case and declined to file charges, citing insufficient evidence of men's rehea and stating the onseen investigation found no probable cause to arrest. So, how does a case like this and without charges? Let's take a look at the prosecutor's point of view. The state's position comes down to the difference between what may have happened [music] and what they believe they can prove in court. Under Florida law, it's not enough to [music] show that someone caused a death. Prosecutors must also be able to prove men's rhea or criminal intent. [music] In this case, the medical examiner ruled Ariana's death a homicide, meaning a death caused by another person. But prosecutors emphasized that this alone does not establish a chargeable crime. According to the state attorney's office, they did not believe there was sufficient evidence to prove intent. And they also determined they could not disprove a potential claim of self-defense beyond a reasonable doubt. And from the state's perspective, that's the case. For Ariana's family, though, that legal line hasn't brought closure. They've said they believe important evidence was overlooked and that the investigation fell short. For example, the series of spontaneous emotional statements that Ramon made in the patrol car appeared to reflect distress following the incident. Unfortunately, the available records do not clearly show whether those statements were formally evaluated as part of the investigation. Beyond the lack of charges, the Tarsenkis also raised concerns about how they were treated, the investigative process, and the absence of bodywn camera footage. >> Um, you know, he's he gave the case away already. Um, he doesn't have half the stuff. Um, his side is closed and now McGrino is just uh he kicked us out of the office and and they've done nothing for us. They've given us no answers, no nothing. We couldn't even be with our daughter in in the time that we she in need. You know what I mean? She's by herself the whole time. She's by herself in the back bedroom till the medics get there. What do you want some? How do you want me to act? You know what I mean? How how would you act? You know what I mean? You're told that you're going to go get to the murderer. You're going to do this and you're going to do that. How do you want me to act? I mean, you know what I mean? It's just it's a it's like they they lie so much they don't even know what's going on anymore. >> Of course, Sheriff Alin Heis came to you and and comforted you and said he's going to make sure they catch this guy right now. >> Oh, yeah. Not at all. As a matter of fact, I emailed him talking about your department. and how unprofessional they are, how disrespectful they are, >> and there was no news coverage of this immediately. And what what did they what did you hear that they told the media when they inquired about it? >> Uh it was an unintended which incident and there was cuz we when we pulled up to the house like, "Oh my god, there's going to be, you know, news there, whatever." Nobody. And we're like and and it was like nobody even knew about it. And the first thing they told us is, "Listen, please do not talk to anybody about this case. Do not go to go with anybody. don't go on the media, don't call his family. So, for a year, we're totally quiet. Now, it's kind of it all makes sense why you wanted to be quiet because it's there's just so much so many holes in this. You know what I mean? So many but how do you and and how do you say you're done with a with a with you're done with your findings if you haven't talked to the murderer? Like you like haven't really haven't even talked to others. They're saying that they don't have enough evidence when they have a death certificate. You know, it says homicide and they're not doing anything about this case. They don't care about the case anymore. How do you look at the video if they don't have body cameras? >> Right. Well, people want them to have body cameras in this state and it's they definitely should because he refuses it. He will not. >> He refuses because he's dirty. He's just he's just as he's he's the corruption starts there. Then why would you not want to have something? It's going to help you, too. >> Absolutely needed. >> Obviously, there's a reason why they don't want them because there's there's there are hiding. >> Do you think it would have helped your case if if the deputies in the surrounding area at the at the night of this homicide would have seen how the suspect was acting? I mean, >> absolutely. I think I think they would have saw exactly how the suspect was um just you would have seen a lot more would and they would have had the credibility of of of bring seeing it and seeing how his demeanor was or seeing how my wife was thrown on the ground or um there's just so much more that would protect the citizens and the police officers both. Um but definitely should have body cams and I don't know the reason why. I guess the sheriff doesn't want to because uh why would you not want your police to it's first of all it's a safety thing too. You know what I mean? Um, and there should be no there should be a hands down. Uh, yes. But obviously he's dirty. He's just as And that's like his department's dirty. >> A lot of corruption. >> There there really is a lot. It's obvious. We lost our daughter uh in front of us and then, you know, we act they act like we're the criminals and um it's just it's unbelievable. >> Ariana's parents say they sought outside input, including an independent review of the evidence. Their focus turned to the nature of the wound itself. In a close quarter struggle over a knife, some might expect multiple or irregular injuries. According to the medical examiner's report, however, the fatal injury was a single stab wound to the neck [music] along with a small number of additional injuries. For the Tarsinskis, that detail raised questions about how the incident unfolded. Forensic experts caution that wound characteristics alone are not always enough to determine intent or reconstruct exactly what happened. Still, for Ariana's parents, [music] those questions remain, reinforcing their belief that the case deserves another look. Until then, they are left with a quiet room in their home and the heavy weight of a story that hasn't [music] found its ending. What do you make of this case? Do you agree that it deserves another look? As usual, feel free to share your thoughts below. [music]