SARASOTA (WSNN) – A week-long investigation for the fatal shooting from Sunday afternoon in Sarasota leads to several arrests spanning several counties.
Roberto Ruiz, Jr. and Rafael Gonzalez were charged this week in connection to the homicide that happened at the Day Night Convenience Store Sunday afternoon.
“The victim was armed with a knife and the second subject who walked up had a gun,” Lt. Craig Fairly said.
The Sarasota County deputies used the security footage from the store for evidence. It showed Nicole Vasquez in an argument with the victim… which is when Ruiz and Gonzalez got involved. Gonzalez had the gun.
“He shot the subject in the chance,” Lt. Fairly said. “The subject attempted to run away and then again shot the subject and the subject was deceased when we arrived.”
When deputies arrived, they found the victim dead with several gunshot wounds to his arm, chest, and head. It’s a situation that escalated.
“It wasn’t them hunting this individual down or anything like that or anything that we would be concerned that this person is going to continue trying to harm people,” Lt. Fairly said. “It appeared to be an unfortunate situation that got out of hand.”
Video surveillance captures a silver Grand Marquis, driven by Ruiz, fleeing from the scene while Vasquez follows in a black Mercedes.
“We have information that the three subjects may be involved in narcotics, but we do not believe this incident revolved around that,” Lt. Fairly said. “This appears to be a disturbance that started up between the parties at that time, there were no previous contacts.”
There were a lot of moving parts in this homicide investigation. The crash that SNN covered, Tuesday afternoon here at the intersection of East Avenue and Fruitville Road involved one of the suspects; Roberto Ruiz.”
“He was basically fleeing from undercover units and tried to make a turn he couldn’t make and hit another vehicle,” Lt. Fairly said.
Deputies quickly took him into custody. Friday, Hillsborough County detectives arrested Gonzalez at his home with a warrant. And Vasquez, of Wauchula, is in custody today at the Manatee County Jail on unrelated charges counts of Aggravated Child Abuse.
“We have some great people working upstairs that came out and did what they had to do,” Lt. Fairly said. “They worked very diligently during this week. A lot of them going on without a lot of sleep to make sure that we can track this individual down and take him into custody.”
Gonzalez is charged with 2nd Degree Murder. Ruiz is charged with Principal to Second Degree Murder and remains in Sarasota County custody today without bond. The investigation is ongoing and additional charges are pending.
For the full story, you can visit the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office website here.