Following a meticulous investigation, Tampa Police, in collaboration with the US Marshals Task Force, have apprehended two suspects in connection with a fatal shooting incident that occurred in December last year. According to a statement from the Tampa Police Department, the arrests were the result of relentless detective work that spanned multiple states, from Florida to Texas.
Working tirelessly, the officers responded to the shooting that took place just before midnight on December 19, 2025, on E. 114th Ave. They found two seventeen-year-old victims, one of whom, Adrian Aguila, died at the scene despite lifesaving efforts. The second victim, surviving both a gunshot to the leg and injuries from a physical assault, has since been released from the hospital. While recovering evidence including shell casings and an AK-style rifle magazine beneath a 2013 Honda Civic, the preliminary investigation suggested that the victims were lured under the pretext of a narcotics transaction before an attempted robbery escalated into fatal violence.
The break in the case came after detectives traced a 4-door black Hyundai sedan seen leaving the scene. This sedan led investigators to a residence in Pelican Sun Estates, where further witness statements and collected evidence pointed to two individuals: 24-year-old Patrick Latson and 22-year-old Jordanis Castillo Durand, as stated in the police press release. Latson, spotted by police during surveillance of a house on the 2900 block of E. 29th Ave, attempted to flee but was apprehended following a brief chase, and charged with first degree murder, armed robbery, and resisting an officer without violence.
Meanwhile, Castillo Durand had evaded immediate capture, leading authorities on a multi-state manhunt that concluded with an arrest in a vacant Houston apartment. On Thursday, January 22, 2026, following a tip off to the US Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force by Tampa investigators, Castillo Durand was detained and similarly charged with first degree murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and armed robbery. He awaits extradition back to Tampa, with Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw expressing a poignant hope in a statement that "By following every lead from Tampa to Houston, we have ensured these individuals will answer for their actions. It is our hope that these arrests will allow the healing process to move forward for the loved ones of the victims," as noted by the Tampa official website.
