BROOKSVILLE, Fla. (WFLA) — Five men allegedly affiliated with the Latin Kings gang have been charged with murder a year after a man was found lying dead on a Brooksville roadway.
According to a release from the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, the suspects allegedly beat the victim to death to “strip him of his membership” after he said he wanted to leave the gang.
The victim was found dead on July 13, 2021, after a delivery driver called 911 to report an unresponsive man lying in the road in the area of Silent Breeze Street and Wolf Road. The driver told dispatch the man did not respond or move when he honked his horn.
The victim was found next to the rear passenger door of his Volkswagen Jetta and he was declared dead after first responders arrived. The Medical Examiner’s office later determined that the manner of death was homicide.
The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office said detectives interviewed neighbors and found that the victim was a member of the Latin Kings. A county judge approved arrest warrants for five men who were also allegedly affiliated with the gang on October 18.
The following suspects were arrested between Oct. 18 and Oct. 27:
- Shayne A. White-Gracteroly, 31, from Hernando County
- Jimmy Nguyen, 29, from Hernando County
- Reynol Gonzalez, 25, from Putnam County
- Hector Robles, 46, from Marion County
- Reynaldo Fonseca, 31, from Marion County
All five suspects have been charged with third degree murder, aggravated battery, and conspiracy to commit aggravated battery. As of Friday, three men remain in the Hernando County Detention Center and two have bailed out.
Anyone with information on the homicide is asked to contact Detective Tom Cameron at 352-754-6830. You can also contact Hernando County Crime Stoppers by phone, anonymously, at 1-866-990-TIPS (8477) or **TIPS from a cell phone.