An arrest has been made in connection with the death of a man who was shot and killed at an automotive repair business in Lakeland on Feb. 15th.
Lakeland Police Department officers arrested 28-year-old Juan Alejandro Vargas Diaz who is accused of killing 32-year-old Steven Schelmety inside Artillery Motor Sports and leaving a second person in critical condition.
Lakeland police say Diaz’s 2018 Toyota Tacoma matches the one seen in the surveillance video the night of the shooting as well as the one seen driving on the Polk County Parkway 13 minutes prior to the 911 call. Deputies say once Diaz arrived at the business he fired approximately 30 shots from his vehicle.
Diaz’s vehicle was located in the Miami-Homestead area. After a search warrant was issued, deputies say they found a 9mm handgun with bullets that matched the one used in the shooting under Diaz’s mattress. Lakeland police say Diaz is a family friend and was given a place to stay during Hurricane Irma by the Schelmety family in 2017.
Diaz is charged with one count of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder, and one count of shooting into an occupied dwelling.
This is a developing story stick with WFLA for updates.
