A weeks-long, two-state hunt for suspects in a deadly North Tampa shooting has ended with two men in custody and both facing first-degree murder charges, according to the City of Tampa. Tampa police and the U.S. Marshals Task Force say the pair were wanted in the December 19, 2025 gunfire on E. 114th Avenue that killed a 17-year-old and injured another teen.
Detectives were called out just before midnight on December 19 and found two 17-year-olds with gunshot wounds, police said. Adrian Aguila died at the scene, while the second teen survived and was later released from medical care. "These arrests are the direct result of the tireless efforts of our detectives and our vital partnerships with the US Marshals across state lines," Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said in a department statement, according to the City of Tampa.
Crime scene technicians collected multiple shell casings and an AK-style rifle magazine tucked under a 2013 Honda Civic, and a search of the vehicle turned up more spent casings along with narcotics. Early investigative work suggested the teens had been lured to the spot for a possible drug deal, and that an attempted robbery spiraled into gunfire, as reported by West Orlando News.
How the manhunt unfolded
Witnesses told detectives a black four-door Hyundai tore away from the scene, and investigators later traced that car to a lot at Pelican Sun Estates. From there, witness interviews and physical evidence pointed police to 24-year-old Patrick Latson and 22-year-old Jordanis Castillo Durand as suspects. Latson was caught after a brief foot chase on the 2900 block of E. 29th Avenue on January 13, 2026, while Castillo Durand was arrested in Houston on January 22 after Tampa investigators alerted the U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, according to the City of Tampa.
Charges and next steps
Latson is charged with first-degree murder, armed robbery and resisting an officer without violence. Castillo Durand faces first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and armed robbery. Castillo Durand remains in custody in Houston awaiting extradition to Tampa, while Latson is being held at Orient Road Jail. The case is still active as extradition and court hearings move ahead, according to AOL.
Why the case matters
For Tampa detectives, the investigation is a grim reminder of how quickly a robbery attempt can turn lethal, especially when guns and drugs are in the mix. It also spotlights how local officers leaned on federal partners to chase suspects across state lines and wrap up a month-long, multi-jurisdiction effort, as reported by FOX 13 Tampa Bay.
