A Miami-Dade County Jet Ski shop owner was murdered in a chilling execution-style killing, authorities said. German Amado De La Cruz Jr., the owner of the Northwest Miami-Dade business, was shot dead Wednesday evening during an incident involving a suspect who has now been apprehended by police.
Local law enforcement responded to the scene at 3570 NW 50th St. after a witness heard gunshots, discovering De La Cruz critically injured with gunshot wounds. Despite being rushed to a local hospital, the beloved business owner, father of two, succumbed to his injuries, NBC Miami reported. The motive behind the shooting remains a mystery, and close friends of the victim, including one who works nearby, expressed shock, referencing the trust and unlikely expectation of such violence, according to officials and interviews.
Joseph Fullwood, 46, of Miami, has been charged with the second-degree murder of De La Cruz after being detained during a traffic stop on Thursday, according to Local 10 News. Detectives from the Miami-Dade police stated that Fullwood entered the Jet Ski repair shop and, without apparent provocation, approached De La Cruz and fatally shot him.
After fleeing the scene on a bicycle, the suspect was identified by a witness, who entered the establishment following the sound of gunfire and subsequently called 911. Surveillance video footage, corroborating the eyewitness account helped law enforcement piece together the events that led to Fullwood's arrest. The suspect reportedly “provided several different inconsistent statements that did not correspond with the evidence and surveillance camera footage obtained from the scene,” police detailed.
Fullwood is being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center without bond.
