TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Authorities say three Orlando men were charged with murder after a man was shot and left to die on a road in unincorporated Haines City last month.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said the victim had been shot multiple times and was found stumbling and covered in blood in the area of Lake Marion Creek and Midway Road in the early morning hours of Sept. 24.
The 26-year-old was rushed to an area hospital and died a few hours later, according to deputies.
Investigators learned a black Mercedes-Benz was seen in the area around the time the shooting occurred.
“The Mercedes was soon identified, and that lead to the identification of Felix Jomar Agosto Velazquez,” the sheriff’s office said.
According to deputies, Velazquez and the victim were friends, and had spent the last few days together with the two other suspects, Joel Javier Ortega, 29, and Bryan Jose Colon Deleon, 26.
The three men were found together in Orlando, and arrested and charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence before they were booked into the Orange County Jail, authorities said.
Deputies said all three admitted to being inside the Mercedes with the victim in the area where the shooting occurred, but refused to share more information.
“The victim was shot and left to die in a very rural part of the county. With very little information to start with, our homicide detectives were able to determine all three of his killers, and get them charged in about 24-hours. Our prayers go out to the victim’s family, and hopefully they’ll see justice carried out swiftly against these three murderers,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.