Davie detectives are taking another hard run at a decade-old murder, putting up a $10,000 reward in the 2016 killing of 21-year-old Daniel Padilla. Padilla was found shot in his bedroom on June 8, 2016, after having been seen just minutes earlier at a McDonald’s near Southwest 136th Avenue and State Road 84. The renewed push, which includes fresh reviews of old evidence, is aimed at shaking loose new tips in a case that has stubbornly stayed cold.
According to CBS Miami, the $10,000 package combines $5,000 from Broward Crime Stoppers with an enhanced payout of up to $4,500 through the Florida Association of Crime Stoppers, in partnership with the Florida Office of the Attorney General. A reward flyer cited by CBS lists an expiration date of June 30, 2027, for the enhanced portion.
New DNA Testing Gives Investigators A Lead
Detectives with the Davie Police Department say they are running new DNA tests on evidence from the scene and taking another look at earlier leads, hoping modern forensics can do what traditional gumshoe work has not. As reported by Local 10, investigators told reporters they believe the killing was targeted, noting that there were no signs of forced entry at Padilla’s home.
Scene Details And How To Tip
Davie’s public cold case list states that Padilla was found with multiple gunshot wounds to the head at 905 Cumberland Terrace, and that he had been at the McDonald’s on Southwest 136th Avenue and State Road 84 just minutes before he was discovered. The Town of Davie records the investigation as Case #16-032865 and includes basic victim information tied to that file. Anyone with information can submit an anonymous tip to Broward Crime Stoppers or call 954-493-8477.
Family and friends say the lack of an arrest has left them with more questions than answers. Local 10 reported relatives describing Padilla as deeply cherished by his close circle and still mourned every day. Both detectives and loved ones are holding out hope that the combination of renewed forensic testing and a bigger tip payout will finally push someone to come forward.
Police emphasize that even a detail that seems minor or long forgotten could be the missing piece that breaks the case open. The $10,000 reward and fresh lab work signal that, ten years later, Davie investigators are not ready to let this murder stay unsolved.
