Tragedy unfolded near a Haines City restaurant on Sunday morning when a 29-year-old woman was fatally shot by her estranged boyfriend, police have reported. According to WFLA, officers responded to emergency calls around 10:55 a.m. near La Fiesta Mexicana Restaurant, where they discovered the victim with multiple gunshot wounds. The suspect, identified as the father of her children and estranged boyfriend of seven years, Rolando Guevara Zarate, fled the scene immediately after the incident.

Prior to shooting, distraught 911 calls included one from the victim herself. She described her assailant, leading to a swift police search for the burgundy Ford Mustang that Zarate was last seen driving. As officers tended to the wounded woman and arranged her transport to the hospital, where she would later succumb to her injuries, surrounding agencies were put on alert to be on the lookout for the suspect.

Further investigations led to Zarate's confession of the crime, as he expressed fears that the victim planned to take their children away from him. This detail came from ABC Action News, which also reported that Zarate admitted to discarding the murder weapon while fleeing. A firearm matching his description was later recovered by authorities.

Zarate's arrest brought to light a previous history of domestic altercations with the victim, alongside other charges including possession of controlled substances and DUI. His current charges, reflective of the gravity of this latest action, include first-degree murder, aggravated stalking, and violation of injunction for protection against domestic violence.