Two Tampa-area teens are now behind bars in connection with the Christmas night shooting that killed 17-year-old Brenden Watkins in Deltona. The Volusia Sheriff's Office announced the arrests yesterday, wrapping up a months-long investigation into the Dec. 25, 2025, shooting. Deputies found Watkins with multiple gunshot wounds in the 2000 block of El Campo Avenue, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
How Investigators Say The Meeting Turned Deadly
Detectives say it started as a planned rifle trade and spiraled into an attempted robbery. According to a news release from the Volusia Sheriff's Office, 19-year-old Brian Reardon and 15-year-old Kobe James Bedat, both from Riverview, drove in from the Tampa area to meet Watkins. The AR-style rifle at the center of the deal was later determined to be stolen. Surveillance video gathered during the investigation shows an SUV pulling up, a brief verbal confrontation, then muzzle flashes before Watkins collapses.
Arrests, Charges And Booking Records
Hillsborough County deputies arrested Reardon and Bedat in the Tampa area after Volusia detectives secured arrest warrants, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported. The State Attorney's Office has charged both teens with third-degree felony murder, according to WESH, and prosecutors say Bedat will be tried as an adult. Jail records reviewed by the News-Journal show Reardon was booked on April 21 and is being held without bond.
Evidence And Other Youths Charged
Investigators say surveillance footage captured the arrival of the SUV and the volley of shots that followed. A 17-year-old who was with Watkins is seen discarding a rifle in a neighbor's yard, and he was later charged with violating probation, breaking curfew, and possessing a firearm, WFTV reported. Detectives say Reardon and Bedat knew Watkins from online gaming and had traveled to Deltona for the rifle trade. The Major Case Unit says the AR-style rifle was later confirmed to be stolen.
What Officials Are Asking
Volusia detectives are asking anyone with information about the Dec. 25 killing to contact the sheriff's office using the non-emergency numbers listed in the agency's release. The investigation remains active, and authorities say additional details will be released as the case moves through the court system, according to the Volusia Sheriff's Office.
